Agri & allied sector to get Rs 71.23 crores
Chizokho Vero
Kohima | January 26
If the government lives up to its assurances, farmers have good reason to rejoice. In his Republic Day speech, Governor Shyamal Datta announced various packages which would sound as music to the farmer’s ears. Promising to deliver, Datta said, “The year 2006 has been declared as the “Year of Farmer.” This is to highlight the government’s policy to embark upon a strategy designed to make agriculture economically and technologically viable.” Datta was addressing the Republic Day celebrations here at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat.
The government has substantially stepped up the investment in agriculture and allied sectors from Rs 39.09 crore in 2004- 05 to Rs. 60.59 crore in 2005- 06. It is proposed to be further increased to Rs. 71.23 crores in 2006-07.
“Thus, we are in the process of doubling the plan outlay for agriculture and allied sectors in two years, which reflects the highest priority being given to this sector by my government for the first time since the inception of the state,” the former director of the elite Special Protection Group said.
In the ‘Year of Farmer,’ the focus of the government will be to boost agricultural productivity. An Agri Expo for the North Eastern states is to be organized for the first time at Dimapur during the month of March this year. The expo will be held in association with the Government of India and the Confederation of Indian Industries.
“This reflects the growing confidence and determination of the state government, the buoyant mood amongst the farmers of Nagaland, as also the interest being shown by the agro processing industries in the produce of Nagaland,” the Governor added.
Through the declaration of the Year of Farmer, the government is determined to make farming more lucrative, stable and less risky source of income and employment. It is also determined to help the farmers use superior technologies, not only to increase agricultural yield and production, but also make agriculture sustainable and environment friendly.
“We have to make our village more prosperous and more attractive to live in, with assured drinking water, better housing, roads, power and telecom connectivity,” Datta said adding such steps will “ stem the tide of migration from rural areas to urban areas, reduce the congestion in our towns and make them more livable.”
Datta also released the calendar of activities for the year of the farmer, which will take place throughout the state under the aegis of the department of agriculture, veterinary, & animal husbandry, land resources development, horticulture, soil and water conservation, irrigation and flood control, forest, environment and wild life, fisheries, and co-operation.
Seminars, workshops, awareness campaigns, training, farmers’ exchange programmes, marketing linkages, training on cultivation of indigenous fruits and vegetables, educational trips, veterinary, health, care camp etc. etc would mark the year long programme.
A Rice festival would take place in the month of December, marking the culmination of ‘Year of Farmers.’
Announcing that the Government of India has recently sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the setting up of a Central Institute of Horticulture at Medzhipema, Datta said that to ensure the development of horticulture in a sustainable and economically viable manner, cultivation of cash crops like passion fruit, banana, citrus, pineapple, ginger, cardamom and medicinal and aromatic plants has been taken up on commercial scale.
Acknowledging and appreciating the positive roles and contributions made by the Church, tribal Hohos, NGOs and the civil societies towards the cause of peace, Datta said that the on-going ceasefire between the Government of India and NSCN groups have not allowed law and order situation to go out of hand. Datta hoped that the overwhelming desire of Nagas for a lasting peace will facilitate extension of the current ceasefire beyond January 31, 2006 and lead to an amicable settlement of the Naga political issue, ushering in an era of peace and development for the people of Nagaland. He further appealed to all groups to restrain from acts of militancy and high handedness in order to create an environment conducive to consolidation of peace.
(With inputs from DIPR)
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