World Bank agrees to consider Assam agri project: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the World Bank has agreed in principle to consider a mega project in the state under Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project (AACP) proposed by the state.

The new project, 'Assam Agricultural Commercialization and Rural Transformation Project', worth Rs 12,000 crore, was submitted to the Centre on June 4 and the proposal has been cleared by the Ministry of Agriculture and was now pending with the Planning Commission, an official release said.

Gogoi, while reviewing the projects, asked all officers concerned to complete the remaining works under the project, including accelerating the disbursement and timely execution of contract immediately.

World Bank's Country Director for South Asia Region Rajni Khanna appreciated the progress in all sectors under AACP with particular reference to successful innovative activities including the establishment of a statewide groundwater monitoring system, farmer producer organization and a pilot program of using solar power for running irrigation pumpsets, the release said.

A total of 4,97,612 beneficiaries in about 1,09,406 beneficiary groups across agriculture, fisheries, livestock, dairy and forestry sectors have benefited so far.