Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday launched Kisan Rath (Fruits & vegetables) Mobile App to facilitate timely selling of agriculture products by promoting buyer-seller network in a programme held at Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati.
The App developed, designed and technically maintained by National Informatics Centre will be implemented on the ground by the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) project which will provide training to farmers and other stakeholders on using the App. The App can be run in Assamese, Hindi and English, according to an official release.
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.
"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 of their produce. Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the time of assuming office has been working to double farmers' income to give them a life of dignity. The central government schemes like PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana, KCC have strengthened agricultural ecosystem in the country and made agriculture a dignified calling," Sonowal said.
Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture and Food Processing Atul Bora said during the corona virus induced nationwide lockdown farmers had to face severe hardship and incurred huge losses.
"However, during first 70 days of the lockdown, farmers of Assam sold vegetables within Assam and outside worth Rs 357 crore and more than 5000 farmers directly engaged themselves as vendors which helped to emerge new farmers' markets in the State," he added.
The Agriculture Minister further said that Kisan Rath App would eliminate the adverse role of middlemen creating new market opportunities for farmers and increasing their bargaining power.
According to the release, the newly launched App interconnects online more than 10,000 farmers, 50 farmer producer orgzations and 1,000 verified agricultural traders.
The App was initially released by the Government of India and has been customized by NIC Assam to suit the requirements of the State. The App provides the added advantage of enabling farmers to take advantage of all relevant schemes and opens up the national market outside the state for surplus products.
( With inputs from ANI )
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