Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Monday assured his government’s proactive role and support to the farmers in successful implementation of all centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) in the state.
Taking stock of all central schemes under implementation in the state with departments of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry & veterinary and fisheries here, Khandu assured financial support to the schemes that require state share.
He said as implementation of agri and allied sector schemes are time bound and seasonal, delay in release of state share of funds should be avoided.
When informed by departmental officials of state share still to be released for utilization of central shares, Khandu asked the chief secretary to convene a meeting of the departments concerned with the finance and planning department officials so that all pending cases of state share be resolved at one go.
“We cannot wait for lengthy procedures to release the state shares for centrally sponsored schemes under agri-horti and allied sectors. It shouldn’t happen that by the time state shares are released and schemes are ready to be implemented, the season for the same is over,” he remarked.
The newly passed farm bills – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill – and its impact on Arunachal Pradesh were also discussed at length.
Khandu confirmed that the new bills, which have now become Acts, will help farmers augment their income in contradiction to opposition theories.
Khandu and agriculture minister Tage Taki, who was also present, were informed that the state govt had signed MoUs with three companies – Siva Sai, 3F and Ruchi Soya for setting up oil extraction factories and buy back oil palm fruits from farmers under the scheme.
While several farmers will be harvesting for the first time this year, the companies are yet to establish the assured infrastructure.
The chief minister took serious note of it and directed the secretary to take up with the company authorities and the concerned deputy commissioners urgently.