Guwahati: The Assam agriculture department will distribute 10,119 tractors among self-help groups as part of its mission to double agricultural income by 2022.

"We will distribute 10,119 tractors among self-help groups at the College of Veterinary Science playground at Khanapara here on December 10, the day Swahid Diwas (Martyrs' Day) is observed to commemorate the killing of Khargeswar Talukdar during the Assam Agitation," agriculture minister Atul Bora said on Thursday. The distribution will continue in phases during the run-up to the panchayat polls to be held early next year.

The department has set a target to distribute one tractor each to 26,000 revenue villages across the state. It had sought applications from the self-help groups of the villages.

"We have received 25,700 applications, including one application each from 10,139 villages, two each from 3,444 villages, three each from 1,231 villages and more than three from each of 793 villages," Bora said.

He added that 7,025 villages did not apply for the scheme. The minister said they would reopen the application process to expand the benefit of the scheme to these villages.

The scheme of distributing tractors aimed at doubling farm income of villagers by 2022, the year the country will complete 75 years of Independence.

The state government had earlier announced that it would spend Rs 1 crore in each village to achieve the goal to boost rural income. It has earmarked Rs 1,450 crore for the tractor distribution scheme alone.

Bora said the 5th edition of the International Agri Horti Show will be organised at Chowkidinghee field in Dibrugarh from January 5 to 8.

"The production of paddy was good this year and we hope that the yield will touch government's estimated limit of 88.43 lakh metric tonnes (MT). Paddy production in Assam in 2016-17 was 83.93MT and in 2015-16, it was 80.03MT."