Peer groups to motivate youth to take up farming, moots CM

Peer groups to motivate youth to take up farming, moots CM

GUWAHATI, April 10: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal has laid emphasis on creating peer groups in the agriculture sector in the State by promoting progressive farmers to motivate the youth to take up farming as a dignified calling.

The Chief Minister said this while iugurating a state-of-the-art hatchery of the Assam Livestock & Poultry Corporation (ALPCO) at Panjabari in the city on Tuesday. He also reiterated the State government’s commitment to extend all necessary support to people who are engaged in livestock production.

“The economy of the State will make significant headway only when the agriculture sector is properly strengthened. The livestock farming, which is an integral part of our agriculture sector, has a huge market within the state and outside. The abundant resources available in the State in this sector must be capitalized using the latest technology to provide opportunities for dignified source of earning to our youth,” Sonowal said. He added that introducing progressive farmers as peer groups in the society would inspire the youth to take up farming in a significant way and this will propel growth in agriculture sector in the State.

Stating that opportunities in the livestock market of the State stretch up to the ASEAN countries, the Chief Minister urged the Veteriry Department to come up with result-oriented initiatives to make the State surplus in livestock production. Sonowal asked the department to carry out a survey to ascertain the livestock demand in the State vis-s-vis its supply so that appropriate interventions can be made to plug the gap. He asserted that the State Government would extend full support to farmers engaged in livestock production and also called upon the banks to join hands with the farmers.

“The Assam Government has launched Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unyan Yoja under which around Rs. 33,000 crore would be spent to double farmers’ income in the state”, Sonowal said and urged the people to work together with the government for implementing this scheme in a mission mode.

Sonowal also underlined the inherent potential of the north-eastern region to emerge as the organic hub of the country and the importance of maintaining green cover of the State.

Coinciding the occasion,  Sonowal also presented ‘Chief Minister Preroa Award’ to ten progressive farmers engaged in livestock production in the State. The farmers who received the award include Manoj Basumatary, Prasenjit Moran, Pabitra Bora, Raja Ram Mohan Rao, Lilakanta Pegu, Ju Tamuli Barman, Arpanjyoti Sarma, Jayanta Deka, Abhijit Phukan and JNB Group of Rangia. The awardees were felicitated with a gamosa, citation and cheque of Rs. 10,000 each.

The new hatchery set up by ALPCO with fincial support from BARD would produce 8 lakh pullets every month and benefit over four lakh poultry farmers of the state.

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