Shillong, July 28: The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh today visited the ICAR Complex at Umiam and interacted with farmers and artisans. He also took stock of the activities and initiatives undertaken by the scientists of the institute.
The minister during his interaction, appealed the scientist of ICAR to act as change agents and help in bringing about economic development of the farmers of the region. The minister was categorical when he said that the activities and initiative of ICAR and the farmers of the region should be documented and showcased so that these become role model for the entire country.
Reiterating the Centre’s aim to double the income of farmers by 2022, the minister exhorted officials to assist and advice farmers on ways to improve farming techniques and raise their income. The minister opined that this dream of the Prime Minister’s can be achieved by producing more and reducing the input expenses.
The minister advised the farmers and the institute not only to be confined to cultivation of crops but also to invest themselves to allied sectors like horticulture, fisheries, bee keeping etc. This will enable the farmers to increase their income, the minister added.
The minister expressed his satisfaction that ICAR has been working for increasing the income of the farmers with introduction of high yielding variety of seeds and farming techniques. The ministers stressed on the need to introduce and implement micro irrigation and integrated farming.
The minister exclaimed that the farmers of the North East are skilled and hardworking but their hard work has to be supplemented with the introduction of technology. In this regard the ICAR has a major role to play in equipping the farmers with state of the art farming technology.
The Minister reviewed the implementation of Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan (KKA) in the Ri Bhoi district. Ri Bhoi is one of the 112 districts where the Centre has launched the programme, covering 25 villages in each district with population of more than 1,000.
The ministers said that activities promoted under KKA included distribution of soil health cards to all farmers, 100% coverage of bovine vaccination for Foot and Mouth Disease, 100% coverage of sheep and goat for eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants, distribution of mini kits of pulses and oilseeds and distribution of horticulture and agro forestry orbamboo plants.
The programme also covers artificial insemination saturation, demonstration programmes on micro-irrigation, demonstrations of integrated cropping practice, he added. The minister also took stock of the implementation of other schemes of the government meant for increasing the income of the farmers.
The meeting was also attended by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI, Smt Alaka Bhargava and other senior officials of Central and State Government.
