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IndiAgri Bureau
New Delhi: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday assured Assam of full Central support for agriculture and rural development, stating that there would be no shortage of funds for the state under various flagship schemes.
The assurance came during a high-level meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi, where both sides reviewed the implementation of key Central programmes and discussed measures to strengthen agricultural growth and rural livelihoods in the state.
Chouhan said the Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remains committed to accelerating agricultural development and improving rural infrastructure in Assam. He emphasized that the state would continue to receive support under schemes such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
During the meeting, Rural Development Secretary Rohit Kansal informed that technical issues affecting PMAY-G and MGNREGA implementation in Assam had been resolved and that funds under MGNREGA had been released in line with the state's requirements. He also stated that the proposed Vikas Bharat-Rozgar Evam Aajeevika Mission (Rural) is expected to replace MGNREGA nationwide from July 1.
A key highlight of the discussions was Assam’s initiative to grant land ownership rights to tea garden workers. Chouhan announced that the Centre would open a special survey window to digitally record eligible beneficiaries, enabling them to access housing benefits under PMAY-G.
The Union Minister also handed over a draft Agriculture Action Plan tailored to Assam’s agro-climatic and soil conditions to Chief Minister Sarma. The plan aims to support region-specific agricultural development and productivity enhancement.
Officials from the Rural Development Ministry noted that Assam has already created more than nine lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’, surpassing its target under women empowerment initiatives. The Centre and the state will further collaborate with incubators at Assam Agricultural University to strengthen women-led enterprises and rural livelihoods.
On the agriculture front, the Centre highlighted ongoing investments under the Agricultural Mechanization programme and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra informed the meeting about efforts to provide power weeders to women farmers and discussed the expansion of the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) in the state.
To promote protected cultivation and climate-resilient farming, 1,500 bamboo polyhouses have been approved for Assam this year. The Centre has also sanctioned infrastructure for a Pesticide Testing Laboratory and an Edible Oil Testing Laboratory under RKVY.
The meeting further reviewed plans to enhance market access for Assam’s organic produce through partnerships with APEDA and the National Organic Cooperative Limited. The initiative is expected to strengthen exports and provide farmers with marketing support.
Discussions also focused on leveraging Assam’s rich biodiversity and strengthening agricultural research. According to ICAR Director General and DARE Secretary Dr M.L. Jat, research centres under Assam Agricultural University will be upgraded, including collaborative programmes on spices and the state flower, Foxtail Orchid, with the Institute of Floriculture, Pune.
Land record digitization in Assam was another area of focus, with the Department of Land Resources reporting steady progress in the initiative.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked the Union Government for its continued support and expressed confidence that the collaborative efforts would further boost agriculture and rural development across the state.
