Guwahati: The BJP led Union government in New Delhi is planning to make major interventions in the north-eastern States for the oil palm promotion, which will finally turn the region into the oil palm hub of Bharat. The newfound initiative would change the socio-economic status of the farmers in the region by opening up employment opportunities, commented Union agriculture & farmers welfare minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Addressing a business summit titled ‘National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm Business Summit for NE States’ in the city on Tuesday (October 5), Tomar emphasized on playing an equal role in the development of the crop and assured to make major investments for seed nursery, drip irrigation, technical back up, setting of mills, training of farmers, etc. He also informed that the summit was aimed to explore the target of the area expansion, seedling requirement fixed for different States through processors, necessary interventions & assistances under the mission.
In the presence of DoNER minister G Kishan Reddy and his deputy BL Verma, Union MoS for agriculture & farmers welfare Kailash Choudhary and Sushri Sobha Karandlaje with many other dignitaries, Tomar revealed that the specific mission with a total outlay of rupees 11040 crores would bring an additional area of 6.5 lakh hectors under oil palm plantation with 3.28 lakh hectors in the region and 3.22 in the mainland India within the next five years.
He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led central government is committed to protect the oil palm farmers through price assurance. Expressing satisfaction over the huge turnout for the summit, the Union minister expected that this type of exchange of ideas would help to speed up the implementation of NMEO-Oil Palm. Tomar reassured that under the mission, oil palm farmers would be provided with all necessary assistance.
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu stated that it was time for investors to come and invest in the region to develop the agriculture sector, taking advantage of fertile lands and the favourable climate. He added that palm oil holds special significance as its cultivation can open untapped avenues of earning for farmers in the region.
Assam agriculture minister Atul Bora informed that presently farmers in two districts of Assam, namely Goalpara and Kamrup, have been engaged in oil palm cultivation while there is a plan of bringing 1500 hector of land in another 17 districts under the palm oil cultivation.
Sikkim agriculture minister Loknath Sharma, Assam chief secretary Jishnu Barua, Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary Naresh Kumar, various other officials of State governments, central agriculture ministry, NITI Ayog, ICAR institutions, SBI and Indian Tea Association, leading processors from oil palm industry, progressive farmers and potential investors were also present in the summit.
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