Assam Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika chaired a review meeting, directing officials to register 5-7 lakh more farmers in six months. The move aims to bring more beneficiaries under schemes like PM-KISAN and improve service delivery.
Assam Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Parliamentary Affairs, Pijush Hazarika, on Sunday, chaired a review meeting with the District Agriculture Officers here and reviewed the implementation of various schemes.
Farmer Registration and PM-KISAN Push
According to an official statement released by the Minister's office, addressing the officers at the Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara in Guwahati, the Minister stressed that farmer registration must be accorded top priority across all field offices, as nearly 50 lakh families in Assam are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, but only around 24 lakh farmers are currently registered. "To bridge this gap, the Department will have to undertake a special drive to register an additional 5 to 7 lakh farmers within the next six months so that more eligible beneficiaries can avail government schemes," the Minister said.
The statement mentioned that the Assam Agriculture Minister also directed officials to ensure that more farmers are brought under the ambit of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme and informed that the process of ID creation for eligible beneficiaries will be expedited.
Focus on Accountability and Work Culture
Stating that the Agriculture and Irrigation Departments are directly connected with the welfare of farmers, Minister Hazarika said that all officers must work actively in the field and maintain the highest standards of work culture. He made it clear that there would be no compromise on work culture, accountability and service delivery. He further directed that no officer should leave the station without prior intimation and approval.
Ensuring Timely, Quality Inputs
As per the statement, emphasising the importance of timely agricultural inputs, the Minister instructed officials to ensure that quality seeds reach deserving farmers well before the sowing season. Referring to issues raised by farmers during his recent visit to Dimoria, he said that efforts would be made to provide seeds at least one month in advance to farmers.
Action Against Defaulters
The Minister, in his statement, also warned that stringent action would be taken against agencies supplying substandard or delayed seeds. He directed the Department to examine legal provisions for initiating criminal proceedings, blacklisting defaulting agencies and cancelling licences wherever necessary.
"Similar strict action, including cancellation of licences, would also be taken against those involved in black-marketing of fertilisers," the Minister warned. In his statement, he further directed officials to ensure equitable distribution of fertilisers across all districts and maintain adequate availability during peak agricultural seasons.
Call for Agricultural Diversification
Highlighting the need for agricultural diversification, the Minister said that Assam cannot rely solely on rice cultivation for increasing farmers' income. He stressed the need to promote horticulture and rabi crops alongside traditional farming practices, according to the statement.
Boosting Agricultural Productivity
The Minister also proposed recognising progressive farmers and encouraging best practices in the agricultural sector. He informed that the Department would undertake ceremonial distribution of quality seeds, saplings and power tillers to eligible beneficiaries to promote agricultural productivity.
"The Agriculture department has the potential to bring smiles to the faces of common people. If we can ensure the timely availability of water, seeds, saplings and fertilisers to genuine farmers, the results will be visible across the state," the Minister said.
Review and Final Directives
During the meeting, the Minister also reviewed presentations made by the District Agriculture Officers on the ongoing activities, achievements and challenges in their respective districts, as per the statement. He directed the officers to make optimum use of all departmental resources and schemes to ensure maximum benefits reach farmers and to work proactively towards improving agricultural productivity and farmers' welfare across the state.
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Agriculture Department and District Agriculture Officers from across Assam. (ANI)
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