Listen to the farmers | 25 Apr, 2020

Your timely editorial 'Listen to the farmers' (The Sentinel, April 22) will definitely enlighten many like us. We are surprised that what we people take it for granted that the products of the farmers are stored in the cold storage is not actually done by the State government. We are still more surprised that such a vital issue of availability of more cold storage for the farmers could escape discussion in Assembly sessions. In fact, our bureaucrats in the Agriculture department should have risen to the occasion to avert the crisis confronting the department. Obviously, there was certain lack of coordination in the department. When the vegetables produced by farmers are rotten in the field and there after their laments of suffering huge loss as aired by the local channels of television should have moved our bureaucrats. You have hit the nail on the head when you observe that even today, the MLAs could have played a big goal in the lives of farmers by organizing a mechanism to lift vegetables from the village and reaching them to the markets in Guwahati and other urban centres. Incidentally, the announcement of distribution of Rs. 2000 each to 10 lakh farmers in one phase, while the remaining 17 lakh will be distributed in other two phases. The distribution of farming tools and Rs. 5000 each to six lakh farmers as Assam has a total of 17 lakh farmers. All the farmers would get the benefit under Pradhan Mantri Krishak Yojana (PMKY). The Chief Minister has decided to release Rs. 150 crore for the Agricultural sector. Hopefully when such bonanzas for our farmers are made available by the State government, the farmers should be euphoric. The minister concerned should take up the issue with all seriousness.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh