Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches agriculture and rural development projects in Assam

Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday launched several initiatives and handed over to the Assam government the approval letter of Rs 1,819 crore sanctioned for road projects in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Chouhan also inaugurated the newly constructed building of Assam Seeds Corporation Limited, launched a new mobile application called 'Krishi Sarathi' for the Agriculture Department and another app 'Rural One' for the Panchayat Department at a programme held here in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He also launched the social audit module of the AWAS Plus app with one lakh beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin formally performing their house warming ceremonies. The government signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with PepsiCo and SBI to secure fair returns for the state under the Chief Minister's Utkarsh Yojana, while Chouhand and Sarma handed over cheques to 10 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) or Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs). Sarma said that the day marked a significant milestone for Assam as the Union Minister announced the Centre approved Rs 1,819 crore for Assam under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to build 1,522 kilometres of roads and 62 bridges. He added that the state would pave nearly 2,000 new rural roads and begin the tender process on Tuesday. Referring to Assam's recent economic performance, Sarma said that the Reserve Bank of India's economic survey ranked Assam as the fastest-growing state in the country. Assam's tea industry has regained its strong position in the global market with the state exporting an additional 40 million kilograms of tea this year, he said. The CM expressed hope that recent free trade agreements with Britain, the European Union, and Dubai, secured through Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic efforts, would allow Assam's Joha rice, ginger, and lemon to enter international markets without additional tariffs. Sarma also said that tea garden workers who have lived on the same land for 200 years have ownership rights, and the government has amended the law to grant them land ownership. He announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would personally distribute the land pattas in March, enabling nearly two lakh families to gain social justice through this move. The CM also requested Chouhan to allow fresh geo-tagging so that these workers could receive houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The Union Minister responded positively. Urging farmers to adopt modern methods, the chief minister said traditional farming alone cannot double farmers' incomes. He encouraged farmers to focus on horticulture and commercial crops, and the government would grant special support to FPCs for using drones to spray fertiliser and monitor crops. The CM called on agricultural extension workers to act more actively and carry new technology to the fields. Sarma urged the government, banks, and FPCs to work together and build a self-reliant Assam.