A CORRESPONDENT
JORHAT: Assam has sufficient food for two to three months, said State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury while addressing the media at the Conference Hall of the Circuit House here on Saturday.
The Minister pointed out that many grocery shops in Golaghat district were sealed and their licences cancelled for hoarding.
“A train with rakes of goods and over 400 goods-laden trucks are on their way to Assam. So we need not worry about essential commodities,” said the Minister.
State Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami, local MLA Bhaben Bharali, the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police were present at the press meet.
Minister Choudhury further said, “Assam will be able to meet the requirement of essential commodities for the next two months as goods trains along with large cargo-carrying trucks are coming to the State every day. So there is no need to panic. People should obey the rules and guidelines fixed by the Governments of Assam and India on maintaining social distancing to avoid community transmission of coronavirus. Food distribution to the needy people under the ‘National Food Security Scheme’ is under way on a war footing.”
State Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said that under the scheme of ‘Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ha-Hojuli Yojana’, while out of the six lakh beneficiaries from the State, four lakh farmers have already received half the amount from the fixed amount of Rs 5,000; the second half of the amount would be deposited very soon to their bank accounts along with those of another two lakh farmers of the State.
“Farmers all throughout the State will resume work in their fields from April 15; and in the rural areas, the farmers will be allowed to continue with their seasonal farming. The government will start distributing seeds from April 15; and all farmers are requested to contact their respective Agriculture Field Officers to get the subsidy benefits,” said Bora.
Moreover, to meet the loss of agricultural products during the 21-day lockdown by the Rabi crop farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture will chalk out a strategy to overcome the crisis faced by the farmers. Transportation of vegetables from one district to another has been totally stopped, the State Agriculture Minister added.
Also Read: ‘There is no scarcity of essential food items’ Says Supply Minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury