Guwahati, June 15: The Tarun Gogoi government and the World Bank are close to signing an agreement to put in place a “market-driven rural economy” with assistance of around Rs 917 crore from the latter. Headed by Australian Robert Epworth, an eight-member World Bank delegation is in the state on an “appraisal mission”. The delegation is reviewing presentations by the several departments that would form part of the five-year programme Assam Agriculture Competitiveness Project (AACP), which is tipped to take-off in November. The team will meet chief minister Tarun Gogoi on June 18.
Highly-placed sources in Dispur said the deal was as good as closed with the “bank visibly impressed by our presentations”.
The AACP, an “advanced” version of the Rs 540-crore Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Service Project (ARIASP), is one of the biggest poverty alleviation assistance programmes to have been managed by the Gogoi regime.
The thrust area of the project will be to introduce hitherto urban concepts like “market economy, competition, accountability and infotech” in agriculture and allied sectors through wide-ranging reforms. The ARIASP officially closes on June 30.
At the core of the AACP is the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), a new management concept for facilitating the development and implementation of a decentralised and demand-driven farming system suited to local conditions. There will also be a pilot enterprise fund of around Rs 15 crore that will encourage farmers to explore new products and marketing ventures.
A minister requesting anonymity said, “The focus this time will be on access to marketing, diversification and value addition instead of production which has been taken care of by ARIASP. It will fuel growth and generate employment that is missing today. All concerned government departments will work as a cohesive unit instead of working independently. AACP envisages increasing the impact of investments from both ARIASP and ACCP on incomes of the rural populace and prepare them for global competition.”
The proposed break-up of the assistance incorporates over Rs 431 crore towards improving rural connectivity with all-weather roads, Rs 49 crore to implement new marketing strategies and over Rs 17 crore in project management. The Assam Agiricultural University will also get Rs 9 crore.