A CORRESPONDENT
DIPHU: In his maiden visit as Guardian Minister of Karbi Anglong, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Pijush Hazarika today chaired a comprehensive review meeting at Taralangso. The meeting was attended by KAAC Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang, local MLAs, and Executive Members to assess the implementation of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and other key departmental schemes.
Urging local agri-preneurs to leverage the AIF scheme-which offers loans up to 2 crore with a 3% interest subvention-Minister Hazarika highlighted major state initiatives. Under Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma's flagship initiative, the Chief Minister's Agriculture Excellence Award will honour 1,000 progressive farmers with ?1 lakh each this year, targeting 10,000 farmers over five years.
To expand PM-KISAN coverage beyond the current 18.6 lakh beneficiaries (with ~35,000 in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong), the state is registering nearly 6,000 farmers daily, with local authorities instructed to resolve land ownership issues promptly ahead of a high-level meeting in Guwahati on August 24. Additionally, he emphasised oil palm cultivation, pineapple processing, and the department's target to distribute 5 crore saplings annually (25 crore over 5 years), including areca nut, cocoa, coconut, and makhana seeds.
Reviewing the Irrigation Department, the Minister assessed 7 fully functional and 281 partially functional schemes covering 19,000 hectares, while exploring the revival of 119 defunct schemes, directing engineers to utilise lift irrigation, canals, and PM-KUSUM to help achieve the state's target of irrigating 4 lakh hectares.
Later, Minister Hazarika addressed an AIF public meeting at Sertalin Auditorium alongside progressive farmers, entrepreneurs, and led bank officials, where he directed the District Agriculture Officer to increase the number of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) from the current 8 and ceremonially handed over an AIF loan sanction cheque to a beneficiary.
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