Synopsis
The Chief Minister said that the mission has been launched in synergy with Prime Minister’s aim of Atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency). With the launch of the millet mission, the farmers of Assam can diversify their cropping practices and other than conventional crops, they can extend their farming to grow millets.
With a view to expanding and increasing millet cultivation across the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched Assam Millet Mission.
Along with launching the Millet Mission, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also inaugurated six Soil Testing and Quality Control Laboratory at Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Udalguri, Golaghat, Karimganj and Darrang and two knowledge centres at Dhemaji and Titabor virtually at the same programme. Synchronizing with the programme, Sarma also started the process of distributing 126 combined harvester, 1000 mini trucks, 450 village level farm machinery bank, 12000 Solar PV Pump Set, 8500 five HP Diesel Pump set, 5091 power tillers, seeds 223963 quintals, 1461 multipurpose pulveriser.
Sarma said, “In the annals of agriculture history of the state, it is a historic day. The day which marks the launching of Assam Millet Mission is targeted to raise nutrition quotient and doubling of farmers’ income. The mission will also increase crop productivity and contribute to crop diversification”.
The Chief Minister said that the mission has been launched in synergy with Prime Minister’s aim of Atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency). With the launch of the millet mission, the farmers of Assam can diversify their cropping practices and other than conventional crops, they can extend their farming to grow millets.
He, therefore, congratulated Agriculture Department for taking the initiatives in launching the millet mission which in the beginning will be practised in 25000-hectare crop land. Subsequently it will be extended to 50000 hectare of farm land in the state.
He also said that the knowledge centres he inaugurated today will help the farmers of the state to gain knowledge and handholding about millet farming. He informed that in the coming days 96 more knowledge centres will be set up across the state under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for quantum leap in agriculture production.
Sarma urged upon the farmers to take the advantage of Mission Basundhara 2.0 and convert the status of their lands to patta land. He also informed that from next year, his government has set the MSP for paddy at Rs. 2040 per quintal. He, therefore, asked the farmers to sell their paddy to the government. He also said that with the subsidy, government is helping the local youth to set up mills and other agri infrastructure.
Sarma also asked the farmers to plant trees of different varieties example sal, agar etc around their farm land which besides giving them commercial benefits will also mark as demarcation of their lands. He also asked them to diversify in palm farming.
Moreover, considering the huge demands of lemon, bhut jolokia, joha rice, he asked the farmers to grow these crops abundantly to become economically self-sufficient. He also asked them to be judicious in their farming practices and help the state in starting a new revolution in agriculture. He also talked on the necessity of making Assam self-sufficient in milk, poultry, fish, egg etc and the government’s intervention to give a new lease of life to these sectors.
Minister Agriculture Atul Bora while speaking on the occasion gave a brief outline of the schemes of his department for the growth of agriculture. He thanked the Chief Minister for leading the way in helping the Agriculture department to launch different schemes for the welfare of the farmers and growth of agricultural production.
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