PATNA: The state agriculture department is organising a month-long “Kisan Mela” from December 14 at block level to facilitiate farmers to purchase agriculture equipment at 50 per cent subsidy.
Agriculture minister Narendra Singh said this while replying to cut motion on second supplementary budget of over Rs 384 crore of the department for the period till March 31, 2011, and related Appropriation Bill in Bihar legislative assembly on Wednesday. The House passed the supplementary budget of the agriculture department by voice vote rejecting the cut motion moved by Faiyaz Alam ( RJD). The House also passed suplementary depmand of the other 51 departments.
Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi informed the House that the Lauriya and Sugauli sugar mills have been given licence for cane crushing by the Centre. The trial run would start in January 2011. He said efforts were on to make three more sugar mills operational soon.
He also announced that circle officers would be provided official car for performance of duty for which the government had sanctioned fund. He said the government would spend Rs.84.44 crore for preparation of UIDs.
The agriculture minister appealed to the members of the House to inform farmers that the government is also providing 50 percent subsidy on vermi compost. He further said in order to increase the production of agricultural products, the government had already opened soil testing labs in 22 districts while work is on to construct such labs in the remaining 26 districts. In fact, such kind of labs would also be made available in Kisan Bhavan being opened at block level. This besides, fertiliser and seed testing units are operational in Mithapur agriculture farm, he said.
The minister assured the the House that the ongoing shortage of fertilizer, caused by non-availability of railway rakes, would soon be overcome as the government has taken up matter with the railway ministry.
Those who participated in the debate include Chandrasekhar Yadav, Dinesh Prasad, Shaligram Yadav, Ahyutanand, Jyoti Rashmi, Pawan Kumar Jaiswal and Shom Prakash Singh.
Read more: Govt to organise Kisan mela’ from Dec 14 – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Govt-to-organise-Kisan-mela-from-Dec-14/articleshow/7067805.cms#ixzz17e0t8MX7