Assam to introduce new agri-livestock marketing Act to boost farm trade

The Assam Cabinet on September 9 approved the Assam Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act, a move aimed at strengthening agricultural and livestock trade in the state. Officials said the legislation is expected to streamline markets and benefit farmers as well as livestock rearers.

The announcement follows a key milestone disclosed by the chief minister earlier this week, when he declared that Assam crossed the 8 lakh metric tonne mark in paddy procurement for the first time under the Minimum Support Price scheme during the 2024–25 Kharif Marketing Season.

Till September 5, the state procured over 8.02 lakh MT of paddy across two crop cycles, which Sarma described as a “historic achievement” in Assam’s agricultural growth.

Another decision was the approval of two-wheelers for meritorious students who score 80 per cent and above in the Higher Secondary examination under the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award.

The Cabinet also sanctioned a grant of Rs 5 crore to support flood relief operations in Himachal Pradesh, with minister Prasanta Phukan tasked to coordinate efforts in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the long-pending issue of caste certificates for the tea tribe and Adivasi communities has been resolved. After holding talks with the Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Association (ATTSA) and the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) on September 7, the government will now issue a notification to formalise the agreement.

Sarma, in a post on X, expressed gratitude to both student bodies for their cooperation, calling the resolution a significant step forward for the communities.