ITANAGAR, Nov 18: A field station of the Medhziphima (Nagaland)-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun (ICAR-NRCM) will be set up in Arunachal Pradesh to promote mithun husbandry.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh disclosed this during a review meeting here on Sunday.
The field station will be set up at the existing mithun breeding farm in Sagalee in Papum Pare district, and technical backstopping for the purpose will be provided by the ICAR-NRCM. The state government will provide the necessary infrastructure and land facilities, according to a release from the CMO.
While reviewing the implementation of the central and state sponsored schemes in the agriculture and allied sectors, the union minister called for a “mission mode approach” to achieve the central government’s agenda of doubling the farmers’ income by 2022.
“In order to achieve the goal, all frontline thinkers, like scientists and researchers from KVKs, the DCs, directorate officers, field staffs, etc, should work in close coordination,” Singh suggested.
He said Arunachal has huge scope and potential in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry and allied sectors like beekeeping and bamboo and coconut processing to double the farmers’ income.
“The farmers should be encouraged to adopt scientific farming technologies to increase production and productivity,” he said.
Singh also emphasized on conducting exposure tours for the farmers to gain firsthand knowledge about scientific farming.
Taking note of all the schemes of the central and state governments, and the pending issues affecting the implementation of programmes, the union minister assured to look into the matters that are pending with his ministry. He, however, asked the state government to submit utilization certificates on time, so that more funds can be released.
State Agriculture Minister Dr Mohesh Chai submitted a memorandum to the union minister on behalf of the state government.
In the memorandum, he pleaded for establishment of a central agriculture university, a veterinary college, an agriculture college extension centre under the NRCM, a research and development station of the cold water fisheries research directorate, and a sub-centre of the National Centre on Organic Farming in Arunachal Pradesh.
Dr Chai briefed the union minister on the strengths and potential of the state in the agriculture and allied sectors.
He said Arunachal is the country’s highest producer of kiwi “which is also one of the best in the world.” He informed that the state is the second largest producer of large cardamom, while the state’s oranges are now being exported to the Middle East countries.
Dr Chai said Arunachal is progressing well in all sectors under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, “who has far-sighted vision to develop Arunachal Pradesh.”
“The 2018-’19 budget of the state signifies the importance the state government is giving to the agri-allied sector,” Dr Chai said.
He assured the union minister that all the matters discussed in the review meeting would be taken up expeditiously, especially the utilization certificate issue.
Dr Chai urged Singh to “positively look into” the issue of market linkage which has been affecting the farmers at large. Issues related to auction centres, cold storage, warehouse facilities, etc, were also raised by Dr Chai.
Chief Secretary (in-charge) A Verma also spoke.
