By PTI
GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the state government was keen to derive maximum benefits out of the Centre’s new mission to boost palm oil production.
The state government will submit a detailed proposal in this regard to the Centre by next week, a statement quoting the chief minister said.
He was speaking at a video conference of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and DoNER Minister G Kishan Reddy with chief ministers of northeastern states on agriculture and horticulture-related issues of the region, with a focus on National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), the statement said.
Sarma informed the Union ministers that at present Assam has 350 hectares under cultivation for palm oil, covering Goalpara, Bongaigaon, and Kamrup (Rural) districts.
The Union Cabinet had on August 18 given its approval to launch the NMEO-OP to boost palm oil production with a special focus on the Northeastern region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Out of its total financial outlay of Rs 11,040 crore, the NE region has been allocated Rs 5,850 crore, the statement further said.
Several other matters, including Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Regions (MOVCDNER), National Bamboo Mission (NBM), and Sustainable Development Goals, were also discussed, it said.
