Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday visited Maloibari in Kamrup (Metro) district and took stock of agricultural activities being carried out by the farmers there.
He also interacted with the farmers engaged in the harvesting of paddy in the agricultural fields and inspected the functioning of paddy reaper machines distributed by the agriculture department to the farmers.
Later talking to the newsmen, Sonowal said that in parallel to the fight against COVID-19 the state government was putting emphasis on the resumption of economic activities and the farmers have shown the way in this regard.
He informed that state’s farmers and Agri entrepreneurs did business worth Rs. 357 crore during the lockdown period by exporting agricultural products to various parts of the country.
“The state has immense potential in the agricultural sector which was highlighted by the lockdown period,” Sonowal said.
“Assam can become self resilient and self-dependent in agriculture, livestock, fisheries etc. and state’s farmers have shown that Assam can Achieve its developmental goals by engaging in agriculture and its allied sectors with renewed vigour,” he added.
Sonowal also urged the younger generation to take up farming as a means of self-employment.
“Agricultural sector holds the key in providing employment opportunities to the state’s youths returning from outside,” Sonowal said.
He also stressed on the need to capture the markets of the northeast with Assam’s agricultural products along with striving to penetrate the markets of neighbouring South East Asian countries.
Directing the agriculture department to provide seeds to the farmers by October every year, Sonowal said that timely distribution of seeds can help the farmers in increasing their production.
Along with speeding up economic activities, the Chief Minister strongly urged for maintaining social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols so that the outbreak of the global pandemic can be contained in the state.
Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Guwahati Development Department Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, MP Queen Oja, Dispur MLA Atul Bora, Lahowal MLA Rituparna Baruah accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.