Assam Government not cooperating with Centre: Union Agriculture Minister

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, February 14: “The Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, is making an effort to make a cordial relation between the Union Government and the State Governments to expedite the pace of development, progress and the welfare of the farmers living in the rural areas, but the State Government of Assam is not extending its cooperation,” said Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh while interacting with media persons at Mangaldai Circuit House on Sunday evening. He also alleged that the pace of the development and progress in the agriculture sector in Assam was very slow.

Citing an example of the negligence of the State Government, the Minister alleged that the Secretary and Director General of Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Indian Council of Agricultural Research vide a letter on January 27 had requested Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to waive an amount of Rs 16,67,200 being the value and the land revenue of 10 bighas, two kathas and two lechas at village gaon under Dakhin Rani Mouza of Palashbari Revenue Circle for setting up of the tiol Research Centre on Pig under Indian Council of Agricultural Research, but the State Government was yet to waive it. He also expressed his deep concern over the fact that theKrishi Vikash Kendra (KVK) was functioning from a rented house in Darrang district as the State Government could not offer the required plot of land for the KVK. The Agriculture Minister also alleged that the State Government could not submit the utilization certificate for an amount of Rs. 560 lakh already released by the tiol Fishery Development Board for construction of fish markets and hatcheries and for training of fish farmers of Assam. He also said that the Government of Assam had failed to utilize the fund already released by the Government of India for organic cultivation, Dairy Vikash Yoja, Soil Health Card Magement and Bamboo Mission.

Significantly, the Agriculture Minister who talked much about development of the agricultural sector of the State, had no idea or information on the supreme sacrifice offered by 140 village farmers on January 28, 1894 at historic Pothorughat in Darrang district while raising their voice peacefully against the British rulers. When the media persons asked him about granting tiol recognition to these neglected Krishak Swahids by the Government of India, he simply avoided the topic. The Agriculture Minister visited a village under Sipajhar LAC and interacted with the village farmers. He also visited village Rangamati under Mangaldai LAC and interacted with the village farmers and took part in community dinner.  President of Darrang District Committee of BJP Manoj Saharia and several other activists of the BJP also accompanied him while Mangaldai parliamentarian Ramen Deka was not seen with him in the press meet.