Agartala: Dec 19: A new program to procure paddy from farmers at a rate of Rs. 2300 per quintal was launched on Thursday, jointly by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The program was inaugurated by Minister Sushanta Chowdhury at an event held at the Inter-State Truck Terminal in Jirania Madhab Bari. Minister Ratan Lal Nath and other department officials were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury stated that the current government is for the people. In the past, people only heard about the central government’s deprivation. Now, there is no question of any central deprivation. Because the double-engine government provides everything before it is asked for. Be it infrastructure, agriculture, tourism or any other sector. The government’s sole objective is to ensure that Tripura can compete with other states in the country and progress.
The Minister said that the decision to procure paddy from farmers was taken in the first cabinet meeting after the current government was formed. This is to further strengthen the economic foundation of the farmers. So far, paddy worth more than Rs. 397 crore has been procured from farmers in the state. Over 1.07 lakh farmers have benefited. Because the current government knows that farmers are the food providers. If they are economically weak, the country’s economy will collapse. Therefore, the central government has taken one after another decision in the interest of farmers, such as the Kisan Samman Nidhi and paddy procurement.
Meanwhile, Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that 2.76 lakh farmers in the state have received Rs. 790 crore in 18 installments. Referring to the procurement of paddy, he said that while the market price of a maund of paddy is Rs. 700, the government is procuring paddy from farmers at a value of Rs. 920 crore. Not only that, since the formation of the current government, 3.72 lakh farmers in the state have received agricultural loans worth Rs. 2025 crore.
The government is distributing necessary machines in the agricultural sector. And this government is creating agricultural markets for the farmers. So that farmers can get the right price by bringing their crops from the fields to the market. Therefore, the minister claimed that this government is farmer-friendly.
Apart from Ministers Sushanta Chowdhury and Ratan Lal Nath, those present at the event included the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shardindu Das, the Director of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Sumit Lodh, the Chairperson of Jirania Nagar Panchayat, Ratan Kumar Das, and the Chairman of Jirania Panchayat Samiti, Pritam Debnath, among others.
