Kohima, June 28
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said Nagaland has the potential of becoming organic hub of the country.
It also has the potential to export its produce outside the country and the Central government is ready to help the state government in this regard.
Addressing a programme here on Monday evening, Tomar, said, "The needs of Nagaland are not only the needs of Nagas but of the entire nation and when they will be fulfilled, nation's needs will be fulfilled."
"Today inequality and imbalance of income in our society is one of the major problems and the government is serious about solving the problem, you must be aware that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath, he said his service will be available for the poor," the Central minister said.
He said that there are more than 42 crore Jan Dhan accounts and the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme is providing Rs 6,000 annually to 11 crore farmers.
The Minister claimed, "It wouldn't have been possible for the farmers to receive Rs 6,000 had it not been the vision of our Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi."
The Union Minister inaugurated the Honey Laboratory at Beekeeping Mission in Dimapur and also visited Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency and organic market at North East Agri Expo.
While speaking at the function, Nagaland Agriculture and Cooperation Minister Kaito Aye stated the state is performing well in the Agri and allied sector and said that the state has received Krishi Karman Award for two consecutive years for food grains production under the small states category.
He said that the state government with limited resources, initiated a start-up programme called "Naturally Nagaland" so that under its banner, poor and marginal farmers can monetise their produce.
Aye requested the Union Minister to set up the air-conditioned organic markets in the remaining 15 districts in the state and also to construct a common facility with all amenities for the state, national and international levels under one roof.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary J. Alam said that two-third of the state population lives in rural areas and is engaged in agri and allied activities, providing a huge potential for commercial production of various crops.
Realising that the traditional system of "Jhum" cultivation (slash and burn method of farming) is neither economically viable nor ecologically sustainable, the state government has adopted the Naga model of integrated farming (N-IsF) and is successfully implementing a pilot project in some parts of the state.
