A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), North Lakhimpur under Assam Agriculture University has launched a seed distribution programme titled as 'Amar Pothar, Amar Shram: Kheti Koru Ahok' (Our crops land, our labour: Let's cultivate) to involve the returnees from other States in agriculture sector.
A large number of youths working in other States have already come back to the native land after losing their jobs due to the adverse effect of the ongoing lockdown initiated in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, there are no alternative fields but the agriculture sector where this enormous workforce can be invested immediately. Under this backdrop, the RARS has started this programme to involve these returnees from the other States in paddy cultivation in the ensuing Kharif season with high yielding seeds which have high market value as food and seeds.
The programme was inaugurated by RARS Chief Scientist Dr. Prabal Saikia recently by distributing high yielding paddy seeds to the first group of 14 youths out of 40 returnees from other States. The amount of seed distributed can cover a crop land of 300 bighas. In the inaugural programme, the Chief Scientist appealed to the youths to engage themselves in the agriculture sector and to herald a green revolution by cultivating using scientific method and the latest technologies. The scientists of the RARS, members of the NGOs like Nava Jeevan Sanjivani, Bikash also encouraged the aspiring youths.