GUWAHATI, March 4 � Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka today formally launched the Chief Minister�s Organic Project � an ambitious scheme aimed at promoting large-scale organic farming in the State � at Luri village (Nartap) in Sonapur under Dispur constituency on the city outskirts.
The project � to be implemented initially in 30 constituencies of the State � will be expanded to all the 126 constituencies in a phased manner. An area of 50 hectares will be covered in each constituency, totally an overall coverage 6,300 hectares in three years.
Rabi and Kharif vegetables, ginger, turmeric, scented rice and sugarcane will be cultivated under the project. Youths appointed on contractual basis will be responsible for supervising the crops at a monthly honorarium of Rs 8,000 for three years. As certification is a must for marketing of organic products, two agencies, SGS India Pvt Ltd and One Chart Asia, have been entrusted with the certification.
Following today�s inauguration of the project, bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, vermin-compost green manure seeds, vermin-compost production units and planting materials were distributed to farmers.
Addressing the gathering, Deka said that organic products had a huge market in the country and abroad, and Assam which had conducive geo-physical conditions for organic farming had the potential to emerge as a leader in the sector.
Deka also stressed the need for proper certification of organic products, and doing away with the nefarious rackets of middle-men from the State�s agricultural scenario.
Local MLA and Social Welfare Minister Akan Bora, Additional Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Parliamentary Secretary (Agriculture) Bolin Chetia, and Agriculture Director Kabin Barkakati attended the function.