Soon, platform for farmers to interact with govt officials

Kolkata: In a unique move to help farmers, the state Agriculture department is going to set up a platform where they can directly interact with government officials and convey the problems they are facing.

The state government has decided to organise krishi melas in every sub-divisions in a big way this time. There was high level meeting at Nabanna on Tuesday in connection with krishi melas. Asish banerjee, the state Agriculture minister, Pradip Majumdar, the agriculture advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior officials of the department were present in the meeting.

The krishi melas in districts are going to be held in every district from November 25 to December 25.

Farmers will be getting opportunities to interact with officials at krishi melas. They will inform the officials whether they are getting all sorts of benefits on time and if there is any other sort of problem they are facing. They can also give suggestions to the officials.

Their complaints and suggestions will be recorded by the officials. It will be sent to the officials of the Agriculture department in the state level. After going through the complaints and suggestions, the department will accordingly take necessary steps.

In case the complaint or suggestion is related to any of the allied departments of the state Agriculture department, then it will be forwarded to the concerned department.

According to an official, it will be of great help for farmers as their problems will be solved within a very short time span and they do not have to suffer due to lack of suggestions.

At the same time, the top brass of the state Agriculture department is going to hold a meeting with its officials posted in district to ensure that not even one cottah of land in its 194 farms lie unused.

There are many farms where there are still vacant lands and directions will be given so that something is cultivated in the vacant lands.

"If nothing can be cultivated, then at least lemon trees have to be planted in those lands so that it doesn't lie vacant," said a senior official adding that there are at present 300 ponds in the 194 farms. A letter has already been given to the state Fisheries department to ensure cultivation of fish in the ponds.

It may be mentioned that the state Agriculture department co-ordinated a meeting with all other allied departments in which sabhadipatis from districts were present. Most of the sabhadipatis have appreciated the move of organising the co-ordination meeting.