Dibya Kamal Bordoloi
Revival Package for North East Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Approved by CCEA.
Guwahati: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister on Wednesday (August 18), has approved a revival package of Rs.77.45 crore for the revival of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC), a central Public Section Enterprises under the administrative control of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Regional (MDoNER).
The central government's move will ensure to provide a remunerative price to the farmers of the Northeastern region for their agricultural products.
The revival package will help NERAMAC to implement various innovative plans, namely providing better farming facilities, training to farmers in clusters, organic seeds and fertilizer, post-harvesting facilities to promote the products of farmers of North East in the world market through participation in events, registration of GI products, etc.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs believes that the revenue of the Corporation needs to increase by cutting down overheads in the forms of VRS and other cost-cutting measures. The Corporation also needs to start making profits on a sustained basis, and its dependency on Government of India loans shall cease.
The CCEA believes that through the revival of NERAMAC, employment will be generated both directly and indirectly in the farming sector and its allied sectors like projects and events management, logistics, sorting and grading, entrepreneurship and marketing. It is expected that new employment will be generated for about 33,000 persons in the NorthEast region through this revival scheme.
After the implementation of the revival package, the NERAMAC will have to implement various innovative plans, namely providing better farming facilities, training to farmers in clusters, organic seeds and fertilizer, post-harvesting facilities to promote the products of NE farmers in the world market through participation in events, registration of Geographical Indications of products etc. Apart from this, focusing on the bamboo plantation and bee-keeping, sales through e-commerce taking advantage of other Government of India schemes such as PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund under AatmaNirbhar Bharat, Krishi Udaan and Kisan Rail, tie-up with farmers and entrepreneurs who are involved in high-value organic crops, starting retail outlets under franchise concept under its own brands like “NE Fresh” and “ONE” (Organic North East) and through NAFED, TRIFED etc. is also in the pipeline.
