Assam: Minister Pijush Hazarika announces major steps for Barak agriculture and irrigation

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Assam Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika began his three-day official visit to the Barak Valley with a comprehensive review of agricultural development, irrigation infrastructure, and farmer welfare initiatives, marking his first visit to the region after assuming charge of the department.

The Minister chaired a high-level administrative review meeting in Cachar district in the presence of Barak Valley Ministers Kaushik Rai and Krishnendu Paul, MLAs Kishor Nath and Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, along with senior government officials.

The meeting focused on agriculture, irrigation systems, expansion of palm oil cultivation, and the challenges faced by farmers in the region. As part of the visit, Hazarika also inspected palm oil plantation sites to assess the progress of cultivation and interact with stakeholders. Earlier, the Minister visited Lakhipur, where he met pineapple growers and discussed measures to enhance production, establish post-harvest storage facilities, and improve the availability of equipment and logistical support for farmers.

Speaking to the media, Hazarika identified the lack of land digitisation as a major obstacle affecting farmers in Cachar district. He said that many cultivators are unable to complete mandatory official registrations because of documentation issues arising from non-digitised land records. The issue, he said, was discussed in detail during the review meeting, and the government is working towards a solution.

To strengthen farmers' livelihoods, the Minister announced the distribution of 2,000 coconut saplings per Assembly constituency over the next three days and 4,000 areca nut saplings per constituency over the following four days.

In a major announcement, Hazarika said that the government plans to invest between Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 20,000 crore over the next six months to four years to modernise irrigation infrastructure across 13 Assembly constituencies in the Barak Valley. The ambitious project will be jointly funded by the Central and State governments.

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