8 Sep : A one day zonal conference on Agricultural inputs for Rabi 2008-09 for NE states was held at Hotel Japfü, Kohima on 8th September 2008. Minister for Agriculture, Nagaland, Dr. Chumben Murry was the chief guest on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Chumben highlighted some areas of concern for everyone to deliberate upon. He said that the NE states in particular needs sympathetic gesture from the Government of India in the field of agriculture development, as the livelihood of the people of this region are dependent on agriculture and establishing industrial sector is still in its infant stage. The Minister called on the officials from the Ministry of Agriculture to give special attention to the needs of NE region states in the field of Agri and Horticulture development especially to provide quality, high yielding seeds for higher production and productivity. He also urged them to focus on important issues pertaining to requirement of various inputs for the incoming Rabi season, even while suggesting that all the sister states of the region collectively project their specific needs as well as deliberate on common problems and constraints faced by the region to bring out solutions. He expressed confidence that a concrete solution for the benefit and development of agriculture in the NE states will be resolved.
Additional Chief Secretary & APC, Government of Nagaland, Alemtemshi Jamir chaired the inaugural programme while the welcome address was delivered by Commissioner & Secretary, Agriculture, Government of Nagaland, N.N. Zhasa. Joint Secretary, MoA, Director of Agri. & Cooperation, Government of India, Sanjeev Gupta gave the keynote address. Highlighting the present situation faced by the NE states, he said that the productivity of the state is not proportional. He added that efforts will be given to provide solution on the spot as far as possible to the problems like sinking land, land wash, natural calamities, constraints in agricultural inputs and technologies, machineries, seed to plant protection. Remarkable effort to increase quantity with quality will be made with upcoming projects and about 20% of the budget is for the region where it will be utilized for specific methods to increase productivity, he stated.
Director, Agriculture, Nagaland, Dr. Supong Keitzar pronounced the vote of thanks. Various officials from all over North East region attended the conference which included four delegates each from Assam, Mizoram and Tripura, and two each from Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The inaugural function was followed by the technical session.