GUWAHATI, March 7 � Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka today told the Assembly that a permanent vegetable market with necessary amenities was coming up at Garchuk area of the city which was expected to meet a much-needed requirement of the vegetable producers.
Deka said that the project was being executed through the Assam Agriculture Marketing Board and construction had already started at the site.
�It will be a big relief for the district�s vegetable producers and they will be able to sell their produce through the regulated market committees,� Deka said.
To another question, Deka said that about 11 lakh farmers of the State had benefitted from the Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) in the last ten years, and that last year alone 2.52 lakh KCCs had been distributed.
Admitting that farmers occasionally had to face difficulties in availing the benefits through banks because of a nexus of middlemen which also involved corrupt bank officials, Deka said that efforts were on to streamline the system and ensure hassle-free financial services to the farming community.
�It becomes difficult for us when corrupt practices are indulged in by a section of bank officers,� he added.
The minister claimed that things were progressing in the right direction with procurement of paddy by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) after the Government took up the issue with it. He said that 20 paddy procuring centres had been opened for the purpose for the 2011-12 financial year.
�Similarly, jute procurement by the Jute Corporation of India has also increased. This is resulting in due remuneration for the farmers,� he said.
Deka said that the Government was going to set up cold storages at different places soon.
