PATACHARKUCHI, Aug 2 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the residence of Bimal Sarma at Ratanpur village here today and inspected his dairy farm.
It may be mentioned that Bimal Sarma has been a torch-bearer for the new generation by setting up a dairy farm and starting production of milk and various dairy products, that too, profitably.
The Chief Minister after inspecting the dairy farm expressed satisfaction over the novel self-employment initiative.
The Chief Minister also interacted with a number of livestock farmers of the locality and patiently listened to their myriad problems.
In the meantime, the Barpeta District Milk Producers� Union in a memorandum demanded setting up of four bulk milk coolers as the existing ones are not sufficient considering the gradually increasing production of milk.
They also demanded supply of high quality grass seed to the farmers on a timely basis and setting up of fodder production centre at Bajali, besides a sub-divisional veterinary office.
Meanwhile, the Assam Livestock Entrepreneurs� Association in another memorandum demanded financial help to its members as they sustained heavy losses during the prolonged lockdown in the wake of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.
The memorandum pointed out the need to encourage and provide necessary help for goat farming in Bajali area, supply of fodder at concessional rate, to regularise the process of vaccination in the area, etc.
The Chief Minister while briefing the mediapersons later assured to consider the demands, including setting up of a milk processing unit and reviewing the price of milk.
He said that at this critical juncture of rampant spread of covid-19, lockdown, natural calamities like flood, erosion, landslide, fire incident of Baghjan oil rig, swine fever etc., the government and the people of the state are having to undergo a tough time.
However, with active support from the people, we are hopeful of overcoming the odds, Sonowal said.
Despite the hurdles, the immediate need was to increase production as well as income in order to march forward towards self-reliance. With the Prime Minister setting 2022 as the target year for doubling farmers� incomes, the farmers of Assam were urged to make revolutionary change in their respective fields in order to fulfil the PM�s vision.Though the present milk demand of the state per annum was 2,588 million litres, the state was able to produce only 970 million litres per year. However, the Chief Minister was confident that the state�s dairy farmers would be able to fulfil the projected target.
