To better krishi bazaars, review of functional ones taken up

Besides constructing more krishi bazaars, the state Agriculture Marketing Department has initiated a review of the existing ones that came up in different parts of the state after the project was mooted by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The venture has been taken up to find out ways and means to upgrade the existing markets thereby, giving better facilities to the beneficiaries. The state government had set a target to construct a total of 186 krishi bazaars across the state and 166 of which become functional and now the review work has been taken up to identify that what more can be done for their development. Tapan Dasgupta, the state Agriculture Marketing minster, said: "As per the instruction of our Chief Minister, steps have been taken to ensure better functioning of the krishak bazaars. In a bid to do so, the work to complete the construction of the remaining krishi bazaars has been taken up and at the same time, the review work is also on."

The state government had set a target to construct a total of 186 krishi bazaars across the state and 166 of which become functional and now the review work has been taken up to identify that what more can be done for their development. Tapan Dasgupta, the state Agriculture Marketing minster, said: "As per the instruction of our Chief Minister, steps have been taken to ensure better functioning of the krishak bazaars. In a bid to do so, the work to complete the construction of the remaining krishi bazaars has been taken up and at the same time, the review work is also on."

"We are looking into the possibilities that how can the existing ones be developed further. The proposed krishi bazaars in some more areas of the districts are on the verge of completion. One at Sabang and another in Patharpratima will be inaugurated in the last week of this month," Dasgupta said.

With the inauguration of two more by the end of this month, only 18 of the proposed krishi bazaars will remain to be completed. At present, around 36 of the 166 krishi bazaars remain functional on all seven days of a week. There are some that open thrice every week while there are a few where farmers turn up with their produce on a particular day of the week.

The review of the existing krishi bazaars has started in the fourth week of the last month and there was a review meeting on the krishi bazaar in Bolpur.

Teams comprising officials from the state Agriculture Marketing department are visiting the krishi bazaars in different districts and holding review meetings with local authorities to assess what more need to be done for the better functioning of the same. The officials are preparing reports containing their assessment on the task that can be taken up for further development of the krishi bazaars and based on the same further steps would be taken accordingly.

The krishi bazaars have provided a platform to farmers to sell out their produce directly in open market without taking any help of middlemen. As a result, farmers have become self-dependent in selling out their produce and have started making profits.