Seed village scheme launched at Darrang

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

MANGALDAI, June 26:  State Water Resource, Fisheries and Scheduled Caste Development Minister Basanta Das on Thursday launched the seed village scheme, 2015-16 for Darrang district by distributing Sali paddy seeds of high yielding Swar Sub-1 variety among the poor and margil farmers of the district.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Das urged the farmers for proper utilization of the high yielding seeds to get maximum production.

Das , however, resented that farmers from main stream of the Assamese community residing in areas under  Paschim Mangaldai Development Block used to cultivate Sali paddy only once in a year unlike the farmers belonging to the immigrant religious minority community under the Pub Mangaldai Development areas who kept themselves busy for multiple cropping in a year.

He appealed to the farmers to undertake multiple cropping including integrated farming of fish, piggery etc along with Sali cultivation. The ceremonial distribution function held in the premises of the District Agriculture Office here was conducted by District Agriculture Officer Nila Kanta Deka.

Circle Officer of Mangaldai Revenue Circle yanjyoti Pathak, Executive Engineer of Agriculture Nilamani Sarma, Darrang Zilla Parisad Member Chandan Barua, Member and Mager of Assam Seed Corporation’s Mangaldai Branch Basundhar Saikia also spoke on the occasion.

It may mentioned that under each seed village there will be 155 farmers beneficiaries and each such village is going receive 12 quintals of foundation seeds from which they can produce certified seeds for their own use or sell it to other farmers of their locality. The function was attended by more than hundred farmers from flood hit villages like  Punia, Pakabangipara , -Howli etc under Paschim Mangaldai Development Block of the district.