JORHAT, Aug 16 � Nilamoni Sen Deka, Agriculture Minister, government of Assam today, delivering the 64th foundation day lecture of the College of Agriculture under Agricultural University here, announced that a new and full-fledged horticulture college would be set up in the State within a short span of time.
He further said that some new schemes would be introduced for the development of the agriculture sector. For this reason additional nine per cent funds had been reserved for the agriculture sector in the Budget this year.
He also highlighted the issue that the cultivators had to sell their agriculture products in a lower price. To resolve this problem, the minister assured the cultivators that he would take up the matter with the Food Corporation of India for a hike in the price of rice so that the cultivators of Assam stand benefited.
He further said that from 1980 till 2009 the production in the agriculture had decreased to 16 per cent.
KM Buzarboruah, Vice Chancellor, AAU addressing the meeting said that as many as 44 per cent of the total number of cultivators would stop working in the field and switch to some other professions.
Among the causes behind it were the problems of preservation of the agricultural products and their marketing.
He further said that the College of Agriculture, AAU had produced about 4000 graduates till date.
Sayed Iftikar Hussain, Commissioner of Upper Assam, Dr L Hazarika, Dean AAU, RC Jain, Jorhat Deputy Commissioner, Pabindra Borkakati, Director of Agriculture, government of Assam, Krishna Gohain, Registrar AAU and Rupjyoti Kurmi, Mariani MLA were present in the meeting.
