Guwahati: Assam agriculture minister Atul Bora on Wednesday announced several schemes for the benefit of farmers in the state, in line with the Centre's bid to double farmers' incomes by 2022.

Bora announced that the government will provide 60,000 diesel pump sets, 30,000 electrical centrifugal pump sets and 11,000 solar photovoltaic pumping systems at subsidised rates to farmers under the Rural Infrastructure Development Project, with support from Nabard. The subsidy pattern was revised to increase subsidy for diesel pump sets from 50 per cent to 75 per cent and electrically-operated pump sets from 50 per cent to 75 per cent.

The subsidy for solar-powered pumps will remain the same at 85 per cent.

"Setting up of electrical sub-stations of 25kVA and 53kVA and last-mile connection for supplying electricity to farmers is also included in the irrigation development scheme. Mechanisation of agriculture is sought to be achieved by making power tillers, cultivators, rotavators, ploughs, seed drills and other equipment on hire from individuals who will be provided these items at subsidised rates by the state government," said Bora.

The agriculture department is also planning to set up godowns with a capacity of 100 metric tonnes in 150 agriculture development blocks for which Rs 20.79 crore has been announced under the National Agriculture Development Programme.

A World Bank-financed Assam Agriculture and Rural Transformation Project (APART), with a total outlay of Rs 1,700 crore, aiming to improve resilience of selected agriculture value chains and to focus on smallholding farmers and agro-entrepreneurs in targeted districts of Assam, was also announced.

The project is being coordinated and monitored by the Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Society and implemented by eight line departments, including the agriculture department, with a duration of seven years.