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The Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradeh, Chowna Mein. Photo Credit - Northeast Now

The Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Chowna Mein had an interactive meeting with members of the Namsai Organic Spices and Agricultural Products (NOSAAP) Producer Company Limited, Spices Board of India, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Namsai, in presence of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Tapsaya Raghav and other heads of departments at the District Secretariat Conference Hall in Namsai on Friday.

Mein said that the Spices Spark coming up in Namsai is the first of its kind in Arunachal Pradesh, as is the farmers’ company which “has a long way to go”. Assuring support for its development, he said that Central and State schemes could be extended to make the company progressive.

Value-addition of products and mechanisation of farming was the core issues discussed during the meet. The DC said that funds have been kept aside for procurement of farming machine which shall be kept at the Farmer’s Training Centre from where the farmers can take the machines on payment of minimum support hire charges. The DCM termed this concept as a Machine Bank that will immensely benefit the farmers.

Senthil Kumaran, Senior Field Officer of Spices Board and Chau Athina Chauhai, CEO of NOSAAP and Dr Binod Dutta Borah, SMS of KVK gave their inputs. While Kumaran gave an overview of the schemes and programmes of the Spices Board, Chauhai spelled out the requirement of machines for planting, weeding, etc., besides a warehouse at Namsai.

Borah presented the activities and support system in place extendable to the farmers. Later, it was decided that a roadmap would be drawn involving all the stakeholders in order to implement all the programmes taken up to make the outcome smooth.

Damien Lepcha is Northeast Now Correspondent in Arunachal Pradesh. He can be reached at: [email protected]