New Millet Mission to double farmers' income: Assam CM

Guwahati, Nov 17 (IANS) With a view to expand and increase millet cultivation in the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched 'Assam Millet Mission' here on Wednesday.Sarma, speaking a programme here, said that Millet Mission is targeted to raise the nutrition quotient and doubling of farmers' income in Assam. The mission will also increase crop productivity and contribute to crop diversification.He added that the farmers can now diversify their cropping practices and other than conventional crops, they can extend their farming to grow millets.In the beginning, Assam Millet Mission will be practised in 25,000-hectare cropland. Subsequently, it will be extended to 50,000 hectares of farmland in the state. A few knowledge centres were also inaugurated on Wednesday which will help the farmers of the state to gain knowledge and handholding about millet farming.Sarma further said that from next year, the Assam government has set the MSP for paddy at Rs 2,040 per quintal. He, therefore, asked the farmers to sell their paddy to the government. The state government is helping the local youth by providing subsidies to set up mills and other agri infrastructure, the Chief Minister mentioned.CM Sarma also inaugurated six Soil Testing and Quality Control Laboratory at Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Udalguri, Golaghat, Karimganj and Darrang and two knowledge centres at Dhemaji and Titabor virtually at the same programme. Assam Minister of Agriculture Atul Bora, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass and others were also present on the occasion.
--IANS tdr/pgh

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