Opposition members disrupt Assam Governor's address in House

AGP, BJP and AIUDF members disrupted the customary address of Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik to the Assam Assembly today.

The Governor left the House within two minutes of beginning his speech with opposition members protesting his statement that the security scenario had improved in Assam.

His speech was considered to be read.

Patnaik said, "The security scenario has improved with a number of insurgent groups joining the mainstream.

"There is a general realisation today that only engagement in the democratic process can enable diverse groups to fulfil their aspirations where violence cannot provide any solution," he said.

Patnaik said by achieving the target production of 61 lakh MT rice and 64.32 lakh MT food grains, the overall agriculture growth of the state would be seven per cent during 2013-14.

"The area of double cropping is anticipated to increase up to 15.46 lakh hectares during 2013-14 against 14.06 lakh hectares in 2012-13," Patnaik said.

The government, he said, would take up programmes on pulse and oilseeds to put the state toward self-sufficiency during 2014-15.

To boost farm mechanisation, the government has provided 6,596 tractors, 25,606 power tillers and 608 rotary tillers to farmers from 2001-02 to 2012-13.

"During 2014-15, my government has proposed to distribute 10,000 power tillers at 50 per cent subsidy to increase available farm power in the state," he said.

Under the dairy sector, milk processing capacity has increased from 15,000 litres per day in 2006-07 to 1,18,000 litres a day in 2013-14.

"Initiatives have been taken to establish five modern commercial dairy farms with 80 high-yielding milch cows in each farm to promote commercial dairy farming in the state," he said.