Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal takes stock of the paddy procurement with FCI

Chairing a meeting to discuss the modalities to strengthen supply chain of paddy procurement of the state, Chief Minister Sonowal asked Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs Department and Agriculture Department to review the existing system, remove the bottlenecks and give a shape to simpler procedure for the farmers to sell their produce to the government agencies.

He observed that the method for selling the produce by the farmers and procuring the paddy and other essentials by the government should be simpler and devoid of any procedural difficulties.

Sonowal also maintained that his government is committed to provide Rs 1,868 to the farmers as MSP for every quintal of paddy.

"Economy of the state is predominantly dependent on agriculture. The growth of the state is also dependent on the socio-economic development of the farmers. Therefore, the State government always remained committed to the socio-economic development of the farming community of the state,” Sonowal said.

He at the same time requested the farmers to sell the produce to the government authorised agencies including Food Corporation of India for the government to ensure MSP to the farmers.

Recognizing the role of the FCI in paddy procurement in the state, Sonowal asked Executive Director FCI Manoj Kumar Gogoi to increase paddy procurement centres beyond the existing 39 centres in the state. Sonowal observed that since the farmers grow their produce in rural areas, there must be procurement centres at the village level.

He, therefore, asked the FCI to set up procurement centres in each development block of the state which would also act as sell points for the farmers.

Stating that growth of agriculture is dependent on production, procurement and marketing, Sonowal also harped on development of rural infrastructure to facilitate procurement and marketing of the produce of the farmers.

The Assam Chief Minister also asked the FCI authority to set up procurement and sell points of the FCI in the Barak Valley Region on priority basis.

Sonowal also flagged several related issues with the FCI to fine tune the production, procurement and marketing of the agricultural produce and revamp the supply chain of the sector.

Sonowal also asked Principal Secretary Agriculture Rajesh Prasad to integrate the components of infrastructural development of agriculture in the rural areas with Chief Minister Samagra Grammya Unnayan Yojana.

Minister for Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs Phani Bhusan Choudhury, Additional Chief Secretary to Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs Syedain Abbasi, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Paban Kumar Borthakur, Principal Secretary to Agriculture Rajesh Prasad, Executive Director to FCI Manoj Kumar Gogoi, its GM Kumud Kumar Barua, other senior officers of the government were present on the occasion.