Guwahati, Oct 27 (PTI) The Assam government on Tuesday distributed coconut and arecanut seedlings among flood-hit farmers in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts as part of efforts to support their recovery.
State Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika, handing over the seedlings at a programme in Sivasagar, said the government was working to double the area currently covered by irrigation facilities.
He affirmed the government’s commitment to supporting flood-affected farmers and strengthening the agricultural sector through irrigation expansion, crop diversification and horticultural development.
According to government records, irrigation coverage extends to around 21 per cent of the cultivated land in Assam, Hazarika said, expressing confidence that an additional 20 per cent of the cultivated area would be brought under irrigation over the next four and a half years.
The expansion would help boost agricultural productivity and reduce farmers’ dependence on rainfall, he said.
Assuring farmers of adequate support for the upcoming Rabi season, Hazarika said sufficient seeds were available for Rabi cultivation in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.
He emphasised the need to promote multiple cropping and diversify agricultural activities to improve productivity, increase farmers’ earnings and ensure sustainable livelihoods.
Highlighting the immense potential of horticulture, the minister said the government aims to transform Assam into a leading horticulture state.
Crops and produce such as dragon fruit, litchi, mango, jackfruit and agarwood offer significant opportunities for agricultural diversification and enhanced income generation, and the state government was providing seedlings for all these to the farmers, he added.
Speaking about the assistance being extended to flood-hit farmers, Hazarika said the recent floods had affected around 50,000 farmers in Sivasagar district.
In keeping with the government’s commitment to their recovery, around 80,000 coconut seedlings and 1,60,000 areca-nut seedlings are being provided to farmers in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.
Around 2.84 lakh coconut seedlings and eight lakh arecanut seedlings are being distributed among farmers this year across the state. PTI SSG SSG MNB
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