NAMSAI, Oct 12: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said that the ‘spices spark’ coming up in Namsai district was the first of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh.
Meeting during an interactive session with members of the Namsai Organic Spices and Agricultural Products (NOSAAP) Producer Co Ltd, Spices Board of India, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Namsai, here at the district secretariat conference hall on Friday, the DCM emphasised that since the farmers’ company was also a first of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh, it had a long way to go.
Also assuring possible support to the farmers’ company’s development, Mein said that there were central and state schemes which could be extended for the benefit of making the company progressive.
Value addition of products and mechanization of farming was the core issue discussed during the meet.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Tapasya Raghav informed that funds have been kept aside for procurement of farming machine, which shall be kept at
the Farmer’s Training Centre, from where the farmers can take the machines on payment of minimum support hire charges.
The DCM termed this concept as a ‘machine bank’, which is expected to immensely benefit the farmers.
Senior Field Officer Spices Board Senthil Kumaran, CEO NOSAAP Chau Athina Chauhai and SMS KVK Dr Binod Dutta Borah also gave their inputs.
While Kumaran gave an overview of the schemes and programmes of the Spices Board, Chauhai layered out the requirement of machines for planting, weeding, etc, besides a godown at Namsai.
Borah from KVK also presented the activities and support system in place extendable to the farmers.
Later, it was decided that a roadmap will be drawn involving all the stakeholders to implement all the programmes taken up to make the outcome smooth.
Later, the DCM met all the employees of the district secretariat at the conference hall. (DCM Media Cell)
