Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated 5,000 metric tonne cold storage facility at Chaygaon. | Media Pyro

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday inaugurated a 5,000 metric tonne cold storage facility at Chaygaon and a vegetable processing facility at Satabari food garden under Kamrup district.

The 5,000 meric tonne cold storage facility has been constructed by the Assam State Agriculture Marketing Board at a cost of Rs 24.75 crore. The refrigeration and air conditioning rooms of this facility, which may benefit the farmers of Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Goalpara, Nalbari and Barpeta districts, have a storage capacity of 550 metric-tonne and 575 metric-tonne respectively. While the cold rooms were designed to store agricultural products such as potatoes, fruits and other vegetables, the cold rooms would be used for the storage of milk and milk products.

Meanwhile the vegetable processing unit was constructed at a cost of 2.89 crore. It is worth noting that this fruit production unit is the first of its kind to be implemented in the region.

Sarma appealed to the youth of the region to focus on processing and packaging agricultural produce and materials. Stating that regional products such as ginger, pepper, lemon,
Joh Rice is in great demand in the national and international markets, the Minister said that the farmers of this product will be able to reap the value of the products they produce only if their products are processed and packaged, which which will increase their value. This, he said, will have a positive impact on the ongoing process of strengthening the State’s economy.

According to the initiatives of the state government, there has been annual exports of plant products to the tune of Rs 200 crore in the last two years, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that in the coming days, this figure can easily cross Rs. 1,000-crore.

He asked the Agriculture Department to take necessary action in this regard. Stating that the state’s economy is still very dependent on agriculture, the Prime Minister spoke about the regional government’s initiatives to modernize agriculture, expand the market for agricultural products and attract young people to agriculture and other issues.

He also discussed the initiatives of rice mills in 220 places and storage facilities in 110 places in the State. Traders and industrialists were able to get up to 50% of the subsidy from the rice mills and warehouse units, he added. The chief also asked the people of the region to work hard to participate in the planting of trees, trees, etc., and at the same time go on the path of self-determination and economic independence.

The Prime Minister also spoke about many issues including how to strengthen the relationship between the Somali government. He said that the government, from now on, will ensure that the minimum support price of rice will be at least Rs 2,006. Also, 9 lakh new beneficiaries will be included in the Arunoday scheme from next month, the minister added.

The minister continued by adding that from the coming month of January, about 52 million of the people of the region will be given ration cards, and he said that this group of people will get free health insurance. 5 million per year. He further added that from next year, the construction of 25 new colleges will also be started.