Take steps to develop professionalism among farmers: Sonowal

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today issued strong directives to deputy commissioners and agricultural officers to take immediate steps for inculcating professional behaviour among farmers so that the rural economy of the state can be strengthened.
The Chief Minister passed the directive while reviewing the implementation of 'Kisan Credit Card' and other agriculture related schemes in the state with deputy commissioners, district agricultural officers and bank officials through 'Unnati' video conference here.
"Government puts utmost importance to strengthen the rural economy through effective implementation of agriculture-based schemes in the state. Keeping this in mind, the Chief Minister's Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana is being rolled out to double farmers' economy and under it Rs 1.2 crore will be invested in each revenue village in the next five years," Sonowal said.

Underlining the great potential that agriculture holds in transforming the state's economy, he directed DCs to actively organise sensitisation meetings for farmers in association with the district agricultural officers and banking officials to apprise them about the ways and means to fruitfully utilise KCC loan for farming.
Sonowal also directed them to actively organise training programmes of farmers on new farming technologies and methods of productive farming.
Voicing happiness over farmers of several districts

being involved in triple cropping in a year, he asked the DCs to soon convene a meet of progressive farmers where he could interact with them and get first-hand experience of their success stories.

Expressing concern over huge number of KCC loan defaulters in the state, the Chief Minister directed the agriculture department and the Banks to step up co-ordination and obliterate the mistrust and distrust which has crept in between them.
(Reopens CES8)
Sonowal further directed to jointly prepare the list of farmers for KCC loan so that mis-utilization of the loan amount can be checked.
A list of prospective farmers was also asked to be prepared and offer them KCC loan so that the amount is utilized for farming alone.
The DCs were directed to submit a list of farmers who have fruitfully utilized the KCC loan and significantly improved their income through farming.

Advocating a comprehensive database of farmers, Sonowal asked the DCs to develop their knowledge about the farmers, their level of income and how to improve their economic condition.
Emphasising on organic farming and cultivation of other medicinal plants to fulfil the demand of new agro-based industries which are being set up in the state, he lauded the Ginger Federation's initiative launched in Karbi Anglong district for marketing of ginger produce.