Siliguri, 11 July (IPR): Hon’ble Minister for FS&ADD, H&CCDD, AHLF& VS, IPR & Printing Departments, Shri Lok Nath Sharma, reached Siliguri after attending the State Agricultural Minister’s Conference held at New Delhi on 08 July.
The conference was chaired by Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar. State Minister Shri L.N. Sharma expressed his gratitude to Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) for giving him the opportunity to represent the State at the National level as the Agricultural Minister of the State of Sikkim.
Shri Sharma informed that during the conference, Sikkim was given the first preference to speak over wherein the State Minister presented and discussed various issues of the State with regard to the agricultural sector and sought support from the Union Government to solve the issues. The Union Minister assured full support for the development of the State Agriculture and for doubling the farmer’s income, he said.
The Union Minister also highlighted the Green Economy of the State of Sikkim and said that farmers of the other States should also visit Sikkim and gain ideas about the Green Economy. For this purpose, he encouraged the State to establish training centres for farmers and officers in the State. The Union Minister further mentioned that all the other States should replicate Sikkim’s Green Economy.
The State Minister sought the support of the Union Government in creating rain-water-harvesting-tanks in the villages of Sikkim as well as sought support for establishing Central Government Institutions in the State for research work in farming.
During the conference, the State Minister submitted a project to the Union Government to set up a National level Integrated Project at Karfectar. He expressed his desire to place Sikkim at the international level in the agricultural scenario. He met the Agriculture Union Minister later who assured him of all the support needed to improve the agricultural sector of Sikkim.
Shri Sharma called on the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Shri Prakash Javadekar, and the Union Secretary and planned for setting up of Doordarshan Kendra in Sikkim, with immediate effect, so that Sikkim’s progress and tourism be highlighted to a greater extent worldwide.
He also met the Union Minister for Animal Husbandry and Livestock. The Animal Husbandry and Fisheries will also be supported by the Union Government, the Minister assured.
Shri Sharma introduced the mission “White Revolution” that enhances and improves milk production in the State. This mission will surely help the farmers raise their income as well as their standard of living, he added.
The State Minister also met the Managing Director, IFFCO and discussed matters pertaining to the processing of the organic commodities. IFFCO will soon be establishing Organic Processing Unit in Majhitar, Sikkim, in collaboration with the State Government that enhances the production of ginger, turmeric, cardamom and buckwheat (Phaapar) that provides market access to the farmers of the State of Sikkim.
The Minister further informed that Fasal Bima Yojna will soon be implemented in Sikkim under which the farmers will be provided pensions at the rate of Rs 6000/- and incentives will be provided to the farmers if any kind of loss in their production sector.
Shri Sharma also called on DONER Minister, Shri Jitendra Singh, and assured support to bring improvement in the roadways, water supply as well as in the farming sector of the State of Sikkim.
During the conference, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Tomar, expressed his desire to visit Sikkim during the “Buyers & Sellers Organic Meet” that will be taking place in the month of September this year.
Shri Lok Nath Sharma assured that Sikkim will see a major improvement especially in the field of Agriculture and Animal Husbandary very soon. The Conference proved to be very fruitful, he stated.
The conference was also attended by the State Agriculture & Horticulture Secretary and CEO Green Economy, Dr. Anbalagan.
