Sarbananda Sonowal launched the app at Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati (File)
To create a technology-based buyer-seller network in Assam for farmers, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday launched Kisan Rath (fruits and vegetables) mobile app to facilitate timely selling of produce. The app will be promoting buyer-seller network and was launched in a programme held at Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati today.
The app developed, designed and technically maintained by NIC, will be implemented on the ground by the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) project which will provide training to farmers and other stakeholders. The app will be in Assamese, Hindi and English.
Chief Minister Sonowal said that the app would be a new vehicle for boosting agri-business by opening up markets across the country for farmers of Assam to get maximum benefit for their produce. He said that the app would help farmers to emerge strongly in today's competitive market and prove as a boon to growers of perishable fruits and vegetable as it would lead to radical reduction in wastage.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the time of assuming office has been working to double farmers' income to give them a life of dignity, Mr Sonowal said that central government schemes like PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Krishi Sinchai Yojana etc, have strengthened the agricultural ecosystem in the country and made agriculture a dignified calling.
Observing that the Prime Minister's goal of doubling farmers' income and initiatives in the farm sector inspired governments across the country to focus on agriculture, Mr Sonowal said that Assam government has been implementing schemes like Chief Minister's Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana and Krishi Sa-Sajuli Yojana etc, in a bid to make agriculture more productive and remunerative. He also said that the state government has been giving adequate stress on agriculture to realize the PM's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and urged the youth to take up farming to build a robust economy of the state.
Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture and Food Processing Atul Bora in his speech said that during the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown farmers had to face severe hardships and incurred huge losses. However, during first 70 days of the lockdown, farmers of Assam sold vegetables within the state and outside worth Rs 357 crore and more than 5,000 farmers directly engaged themselves as vendors which helped to emerge new farmers' markets in the state.