GUWAHATI: Agriculture Minister Atul Bora along with a team of high-level officers of the State Government called on Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister for Veterinary & Dairying Parshottam Rupala at New Delhi in two separate sittings on Thursday.
While discussing the various issues on the Agriculture sector of Assam, Minister Bora suggested that the Central Government should consider the undisputable possession of land for three years based on State Government notification as a necessary and sufficient condition for eligibility of the 'PM Kisan' scheme.
Pointing out that the present scenario with respect to fertilizer in the State, Agriculture Minister Bora request the Central Government to increase the allotment of fertilizer based on the assessment made by the State.
Minister Bora also requested Union Agriculture Minister Tomar to release of allocated funds under Centrally-sponsored Schemes, namely RKVY, and NFSM among others in one installment for proper implementation of the schemes or to release 75% of the allocated funds in the beginning of a financial year so that the Kharif season of the State is not hampered and there is a continuity of the farm activities.
Minister Bora also requested the Union Minister to increase the subsidy on distribution of farm mechanization up to 90% for timely implementation of the schemes. He also urged the Union Minister to increase subsidy for the export of red and black rice of Assam.
The meeting was attended by Minister of State, Agriculture & farmers Welfare, Kailash Choudhury; Minister of State, Agriculture & farmers Welfare, Soubha Karan Laje; Secretary to the Government. of India, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Sanjoy Agarwal; Additional Secretary to the Government. of India, Agriculture, Abhlakshi Lekhi;
Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam and APC, Ravi Sankar Prasad; Secretary & Director, Agriculture department, Assam, Vinod Seshan,; and MD, ASC Ltd. Bidyut Bikash Bhagavaty.
Earlier, Minister Bora met Union Minister for Veterinary & Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, and discussed the various issues on the State Veterinary sector. Bora requested Rupala to set up an Embryo Transfer Technology & In-vitro Fertilization Laboratory in the State to boost milk production and productivity, stated a press release signed by Pankajnabh Das, Assistant Director Of Agriculture (Agri Inf).