Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers'Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar visiting the AC organic market, Agri Expo with Nagaland Agriculture minister G.Kaito Aye, Advisor Mhathung Yanthan, APC Nagaland and others on June 27. ( DIPR Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 27
Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar wrapped up his two-day Nagaland trip on June 27. After touring the Central Institute of Horticulture and Molvom (pineapple village) in Medziphema on June 26, Tomar was taken around the Agri Expo in Dimapur, today, where he addressed a programme, besides interacting with the media.
According to the state Agriculture Minister, G Kaito Aye, Tomar’s was the first visit by a Union Agriculture Minister in 16 years with the last being Sharad Pawar.
During the media interaction, he was asked about a perceived tendency of Central leaders visiting the state from Delhi limiting their travel itinerary to mostly Dimapur and Kohima and rarely remote, rural areas in the other districts. Tomar, who conversed in Hindi — with the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, serving as the interpreter — maintained that it would be wrong to assume so, while stating that his visit was not restricted to “conference halls” alone.
Justifying the stand, he spelt out his tour of the CIH and Molvom village the day before where, according to him, on ground suggestions were positively noted. Such suggestions can be inducted in the plans of the state government and also shared with the Union Government, he added.
While informing that the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman will be visiting to Nagaland next week, he said that she will also likely visit Mon during her tour. He maintained, “It is not restricted to Dimapur and Kohima alone, given an opportunity, Union Ministers are visiting different parts of the state as well.”
Previously, in his address to state Agriculture officials, he said that the north-east is very much in the development vision of the Narendra Modi government. “When we talk about all round development, then we cannot ignore the Northeast.
The GOI believes that when Northeast develops, the country develops, when NE moves forward, the country moves forward.”
According to him, the frequent visits by Central leaders and by the Prime Minister himself, to the region, are testimony to this.
State Agri performing?
Imports exceed exports, yet Agriculture Minister G Kaito Aye claimed that Nagaland is performing well among the smaller states. He nonetheless outlined challenges affecting the agriculture sector, among which included the inclination to design “one size fits all” schemes and delayed release of funds by the Centre.
While stating that the policy makers should plan policies keeping in mind the specific needs of the region, he reminded, “During the current financial year, although the first quarter is already over, the Agri and Allied Departments has not received the first installment.” Non-existent all-weather roads in the rural areas have not been to the advantage of marketing farm produce, he reminded.
Chief Secretary, J Alam informed that Nagaland’s foodgrains production has risen to 7.5 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21 from 62,000 metric tonnes in 1963-64. While stating that the focus at present has been to increase production through quality seeds, greater mechanisation and logistics support for marketing, he pointed to the lack of ‘institutional price support mechanism’ to farmers.
“It will be really helpful if we can operationalize such a mechanism for selected crops like oilseeds, pulses etc. This will increase production and can greatly reduce import dependence,” Alam said.
