Sowanseeree A Golden Dream

VISION DOCUMENT FOR DHEMAJI DISTRICT

2003-2018

THE ROAD MAP

1.   Find the entrepreneurs in society.

       2.   Train and fund them.

       3.   Create enterprise and create wealth In society.

4.   Expand wealth creation and expand the Economy.

5.   As the economy grows the poor prosper with Rising employment and incomes.

Special/Additional/Other factors of the district:

·        Five Watershed Development programmes are under implementation in the district by the department of Agriculture.

·        As per the latest ground water assessment data, all the blocks in the district are categorized as white.

·        520 S.T.Ws have been installed by the Department of Agriculture under RIDF during the year 1999-2000 and 2000-2001, thus creating an additional irrigation potential of approximately 1000 ha. Further, 368 S.T.Ws have been installed under ARIASP creating an irrigation potential of 700 ha.

·        Muga silk rearing is receiving highest attention in the district.

·        To bring all round prosperity in the district, Government sponsored programmes viz., SGSY, PMRY etc., are under implementation in the district.

·        Recurrence of floods is a major factor affecting the economy of the district. As the river beds are higher than the cultivated areas, the district is prone to recurrence floods and around 27 percent of the net cropped area is classified as flood prone / affected.

·        Poor transport facilities affect the movement of inputs and final produce.

·        The district is cut off for a major part of the rainy season, with the result that no major industry has come up in the district.

·        The district offers plenty of scope for Agro-processing sector (Rice based and fruit based) and forest based sectors.

·        Fruit crops especially Pineapple cultivation has a tremendous scope. 

(2) THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY: Strength  & Weakness

Strength:           

                   Development of Dhemaji economically and socially, lies in the growth of the economy in the Agriculture and allied sectors. This has to be supplemented by small-scale industrialization concentrating in items of comparative advantage. The development has to take into consideration- the markets of the hinterland areas of Arunachal Predesh comprising of the districts of East Siang, West Siang, Subansiri and Pakumpare. With the coming up of the Bogibeel Bridge, the market will also extend to Dibrugarh, Sibsagar and Tinsukia District. The opening of the bridge over Siang River at Pasighat will open up markets of Sadia, Lohit, Changlang Dist of Arunachal Pradesh. The re-assuring factor of Dhemaji District is that it is a self-sufficient district in paddy and other products, limiting the imports to consumer products. The other note-worthy factor in the economy is that Muga rearing has developed as an important economic activity and there is tremendous scope for value-added products in this sector. With the commissioning of the Lower Subansiri Power Project, the district will become surplus in power by 2010.

Weakness:

However, communication, road and rail are severely handicapped during the summer months freezing the economy for nearly 5 months every year. Availability of trained manpower and desire of the people to improve their quality of life is wanting. Entrepreneurship required in all fields of activities is lagging behind.

                These are the core-areas that would have to be taken care of before embarking on the development plan. The focus of the development plan would be on development through self-employment with government acting as the facilitator and agency for infrastructure development. The catering to the needs of the market will be the focal point of any development effort. On the social aspect of development, the main   focus would be to create an enabling environment for realization of total human potential with equal opportunities for all.

                      Because of their interrelation, the development efforts will be grouped under the following major groups.

                   A.   Agricultural and allied sector.

B.   Social Welfare sector.

C.   Infrastructure sector.

D.   Industry and commerce sector.

E.    Essential services sector.

1. AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED SECTOR:

                The sub-sectors in the Agriculture sector and allied sector are- (1) Agriculture,(2) Horticulture,(3) Floriculture, (4)Fishery,(5) Animal Husbandry and Vety.(6) Diary Development,(7)Irrigation(Minor & Major),(8)Social forestry (9) Forestry,(10) Sericulture.(11) Micro credit (12) Market information and forecasting (13) Weather forecasting (14) Medicinal Plantations.

2. SOCIAL WELFARE SECTOR:

                The sub-sectors are – (1) Education (2) Drinking Water and sanitation (3) Health and Family Welfare (4) Welfare of Handicapped, aged, blind etc.(5) Municipal services (6) Women and child care programmes (4) Welfare of Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe/Backward Classes/Minorities. (5) Development of sports and cultural affairs (6) Public Distribution system (7) Legal Meteorology (8) Legal aid (9) Adult Literacy programme (10) Libraries and cultural centers (11) Consumer protection.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR:

The sub-sectors are –(1) Surface communication (2) Water ways (3) Railways (4) Assam State Electricity Board (5) Cold storage (6) Grain Storage (7) Water ways (8) Air transport facilities (9) Electronic communication (10) Electronic media (11) Marketing infrastructure for local products (12) Inter-state bus terminus, truck terminals (13) Airports and helipads.(14) Flood management.

4. INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE SECTOR:

                The sub-sectors are – (1) Industry (2) Banking and Credit institutions (3) Bourses (4) Handloom and Textiles (5) Ornamental Fish breeding (6) Tourism (culture) (7) Small Tea gardens (8) Handicrafts (9) Food packaging (10) White goods servicing (11) Way-side amenities (12) Entertainment Industry (13) Health care Institutions (14) Sanatorium (15) ) Industrial growth centers and commercial specialty parks (16) Bio-tech industry (17) Commercial and Life Insurance.

5. ESSENTIAL SERVICES SECTOR: 

Maintenance of Law and order, speedy delivery of justice.

THRUST AREAS :

a)                Cash crops and Citrus farming.

b)                Muga, Eri and Mulberry rearing.

c)                 Floriculture and orchid farming.

A. AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED SECTOR

        The sub-sector activities are listed below –

Irrigation

·        Attention will be paid to the issues of ground water development and providing necessary guidance to the farming community.

·        Members of the FMCs will be motivated by the Agriculture Engineering Department to complete the programme under STW project of RIDF and programmes to follow.

·        Banks will be sensitized to consider the sector as a potential source for expanding their credit flow, especially by tie-up with FMCs.

        Land Matters

·        Issue of periodic pattas to be expedited

·        Delay in supply of the extracts of land records to the farmers will be eliminated by introducing suitable mechanism so that the farmers can avail the credit facilities from the banks on time.

·        Integration of government programmes with bank credit is the need of the hour. Such an approach will increase the benefited area as well as motivate the farmers to take up the land development activities.

·        Awareness levels among the farming community about the importance of land development activities will be created by the departments concerned through FMCs, PRIs,NGOs etc.

          Farm Mechanisation & Bio Fertilizer use.

·        Steps will be initiated for community farming through SHGs with the help of the SHGs for introducing Farm Mechanisation.

·        FMCs will be actively encouraged to adopt farm mechanization in their area of operation.

·        Production and supply of bio-fertilizers will be encouraged in the district for increasing productivity.

        Horticulture

·        Small farmers who are producing low-income crops will be encouraged to go in for the Horticulture crops like citrus.

·        Ensuring the supply of quality seedlings /saplings from government farm/private sources.

·        Exploring the possibility of starting location specific projects by the line departments and with the assistance from the banking community.

·        Banks will prepare area based schemes in consultation with Horticulture Department and implement them taking advantage of refinance assistance from NABARD.

          Sericulture

·        P.G.Rs. and V.G.Rs. to be developed as Som plantations and mulberry plantations.

·        Som nurseries to be set up to promote Som plantation in private land.

·        Development of seed farms to provide quality muga,eri and mulberry-seeds.

·        Training centre for upgradation of skill of rearers.

·        Encourage setting up of integrated sericulture farms involving Eri,Muga and mulberry production.

·        Setting up of reeling centers.

·        Examine the setting up of a reeling machine production unit.

·        Setting up of a yarn testing and grading centre with a twisting plant.

·        Setting up of a marketing centre with arrangements for forward purchase.

·        Develop accessories production centre.

·        Develop sericulture villages.

·        Hold awareness programme among farmers.

·        Setting up of micro-credit facilities.

        Floriculture

·        Setting up of orchidariums for commercial production of culture/hybrid orchids will be promoted.

        Forestry

·        Agricultural Department in co-operation with Agricultural Engineering Department and other line departments would identify compact areas and prepare location specific schemes with suitable tree species. They would intensify the extension activities to motivate the farmers to undertake forestry programmes. They may also formulate model schemes for development with bank credit.

·        Involvement of communities and good SHGs in social forestry will be encouraged.

        Animal husbandry and veterinary

·        Popularising Artificial Insemination (A1) programme among the dairy farmers. A chain of Lay inseminators to improve the Al network so as to provide Al facilities at the doorsteps of the farmers will be created.

·        Educated unemployed youth will be selected for training in artificial insemination with the assistance from the Farmers Training Centers and developmental agencies like NABARD.

·        Unemployed Veterinarians will also be identified to set up veterinary services in the untapped areas with the assistance from bankers. Banks can participate in the development of rural veterinary infrastructure by providing adequate credit to the unemployed veterinarians and trained inseminators.

        Diary

·        Revitalizing the dormant Milk Produce’s Co-operative Society (MPCS) and forming new MPCS can act as a source of liquid milk for the small towns and can tie up with local bankers for creation of small chilling facilities. Alternatively, good working SHGs can be tapped to take up the work of procurement and distribution of milk.

·        Information desks will be set up at the district head quarters to disseminate information about the model schemes and the facilities available for setting up of dairy based activities.

        Poultry

·        Information desk at the District Veterinary Office will be created to disseminate information about the potential of poultry activity among the interested parties.

·        A few unemployed educated youth will be identified by the Department of Animal Husbandry, so as to motivate them to take up the poultry activities, especially broilers.

·        Custom hatching has tremendous potential and the department will look into identifying potential pockets for setting up these units.

·        Good SGSY groups will be targeted for setting up small sale broiler units, to cater to the good demand in the district.

        Fisheries

·        Flood free areas will be identified enabling the bankers and insurance companies to contribute towards the development.

·        A suitable policy for use of water bodies will be developed for improving the fishery activity in the district.

·        FFDA will motivate the farming community to undertake fish farming through their intensive extension programme.

·        Fisheries department will ensure the supply of quality seeds as well as the assured markets.

·        Community ponds will be entrusted to good working SHG groups for taking up the activity.

·        Good working SGSY groups will be targeted to take up this activity by leasing government/community ponds.

        Crop loan

·        The line departments and banks may promote Farmer’s clubs and enthuse farmers adopting the latest technologies to improve productivity of crops and recoveries of bank loans.

·        The Cooperative Department will take necessary initiative in improving the recovery position of Agri. Credit Societies.

·        Kisan Credit Cards will be taken up on a large scale.

        Market and weather information

·        The C.I.Cs and the NIC will be activated to provide market trends.Farmers and extension workers will be linked to the C.I.C’s to collect latest market information.

·        C.I.Cs will also collect information on weather trends and farmers may use this information for scheduling their agro-activities.

B. SOCIAL WELFARE SECTOR :

        EDUCATION:

                Primary Stage

·        Improvement of infrastructure facilities like buildings toilet facilities, desks and benches etc.

·        Qualified teachers to be employed and trained regularly for imparting quality education.

·        External assessment system of the teachers and pupils.

·        Transportation needs of schools children.

·        Parental motivation to universalize elementary education.

·        Educational tours for primary school children.

·        Talent scouting in primary schools.

·        Awards and scholarship for successful children in all fields.

·        School-health programmes.

·        Library and play-school facilities.

                Secondary Stage

·        Career counseling.

·        Provision of laboratories

·        Training of students in household-crafts, common repairs, vocational training.

·        Inter-school tournament.

·        Fitness training.

·        Provision of coaches for sports.

·        Inter-school meets.

·        Students-exchange programme.

·        Adventure activities like trekking, river rafting.

·        Village attachment for urban school students.

·        Development of playgrounds.

Higher education

·        Assist private technical colleges under trusts.

·        Encourage social culture and environmental protection and development.

                   Health and family welfare

·        Upgradation of all P.H.C’s .

·        Encouraging laboratories and X-Ray centers in and around P.H.C. clusters.

·        Upgradation of urban centre for immunization and other family welfare activities.

·        Assistance to set up medical colleges in the private sector.

·        Setting up of radiographer and laboratory technician training centers.

·        Privatising Ambulance services.

·        Installment of hi-tech diagnostic tools and surgery equipments in the Civil Hospital, Dhemaji.

·        A training Hall for medical officers for in-service training and skill up gradation.

·        Setting up of a microbiological testing centre at Civil Hospital, Dhemaji.

        Welfare of the handicapped

        There is dearth of proper facilities for the handicapped. So, awareness programmes will be organized among the populace of the district to accept handicapped persons normally. For this, the following measures are proposed –

·        Facilities for the handicapped in public buildings and public places.

·        Setting up of institutions for education and self-employment opportunities for the handicapped.

        Municipal services

There are two existing municipal towns namely Dhemaji and Silapathar in the district. Another two urban agglomerations are Jonai and Gogamukh .For the aforementioned places, the following steps have to be taken up

·        Construction of drainage and sewerage system

·        Pipe-water system is to be introduced

·        Land use and master-planning of the towns and formulation of regulations thereof

·        Garbage disposal system to be introduced

           Women and child care programme

        There are not enough facilities for women and childcare programme in the district. The following steps are needed to be taken-

·        I.C.D.S. Programme has to be made more effective to reach to the interior places.

·        Working women hostels have to be established as per demand.

·        Crèches are to be established for the working mothers in both rural and urban areas.

        Welfare of SC/ST/OBC and MOBC

        Dhemaji is predominantly a tribal district. The following steps are needed to be taken up for the upliftment of these sections –

·        Hostel facilities needs to be set up.

·        Educational tours have to be organized for extension of their overall development.

        Development of sports

·        In every school a physical education instructor to be placed or one teacher to be trained especially in this field.

·        Jogging and walking tracks has to be constructed.

·        In every Developmental block, one rural sports complex has to be constructed.

·        Talent scouting has to be done regularly.

·        Tracking expedition has to be organized for the school and college student.

·        Rural games have to be organized.

·        A stadium has to be built at Dhemaji.

Development of culture                     

·        Documentation of the cultures of the different tribes in the district.

·        Organization of cultural workshop in the different block of the district for continuation and spread of the arts and culture of the people.

·        Construction of open-air stages in collaboration with DRDA/Zila Parishad has to be done.

·        Exposition of local culture in the metropolitan centers and art complexes

        Library:

·        A full-fledged district library has to be set up at the District Head Quarter in Dhemaji

·        Libraries have to be set up in all the blocks Head.Qtrs.

·        Libraries need to be established in all schools. College libraries have to be upgraded.

·        Internet connection will be made by the different C.I.Cs. to the Block level libraries.

C. INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR :

                Surface communication

·        Upgradation of existing NH-52 into a double lane and subsequently 4 lane Highway within 10^th plan period.

·        Construction of an alternative road along the Arunachal foothill from Gogamukh to Mukongselek.

·        Existing roads to be redesigned considering the topographical condition of the district to prevent breaches in the rainy season.

·        State P.W.D. roads to be upgraded and timber bridges to be replaced by RCC bridges in a phased manner particulary Butikur-Khalihamari and Machkhowa roads.

·        More PMGSY roads to be taken up branching from the National Highway.

·        Important border roads to be upgraded and blacktopped.

·        Roads leading to the steamer Ghats to be upgraded on priority basis.

·        Interlinked roads between villages to be upgraded.

                Water communication:

·        Dhemaji exhibits tremendous potential in water communication with the major tributaries like Subansiri, Gai, Simen and Jiadhal joining the Brahmaputra.

·        Hovercraft services from Dhemaji to other districts to be introduced.

·        Ferry services along the Bramhaputra to be increased and upgraded.

·        Boat facilities in the tributaries to be increased and advanced state of the Art boats to be procured and introduced in a planned manner.

·        Encouraging mercantile activities along the Brahmaputra.

                Air communication

·        Setting up of an Airport at the Likabali helipad near Silapathar.

·        Setting up of helipads at Gogamukh, Jonai, Simen Chapari and  Gerukamukh.

                Tourism

                To develop the tourism potential of the district the following activities are proposed.

·        Resort facilities at the Gerukamukh Dam.

·        Development of Bordoibam Bird Sanctury.

·        Beach resort at the Bogibeel bridge approach on the bank of the Brahmaputra.

·        Wayside amenities at Gogamukh, Dhemaji, Akajan, Dimow, Simen Chapari.

·        Develop hotel sites at Silapathar, Jonai,Dhemaji and Gogamukh for handing over to private parties.

·        River cruise from Oriamghat to Machkhowa and back.

·        Subansiri Tourist Festivel to showcase tribal song and dances, cuisine, handlooms and handicrafts.

·        Develop angling and river rafting sports in Jiadhal,Gainadi, Simen etc.

·        Tourist tribal village showing tribal way of life, handlooms, handicrafts, food etc.

·        Develop Trekking routes in the reserve forest and chapories.

                Flood control  

·        Satellite survey of every year during floods and in lean periods to know the movement of the river course.

·        Depending on the findings of the satellite/remote sensing survey coupled with field survey, river training with the help of embankment bunds, spurs and anti-erosion measures.

·        Construct retention dams at the source of rivers for moderating the flood zone in the river.

·        Afforestation of the catchments areas of all the rivers to stop the degradation of soil and minimize siltation.

                   ISBT and truck terminus  

·        After commissioning of Bogibeel Bridge, four districts of Arunachal Pradesh and two districts of Assam, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia will pave the way for increased transportation with approx. Five hundred buses and trucks expected to ply everyday. Consequently an interstate Bus terminus as well as a Truck terminus becomes a necessity in Akajan.

·        A truck Terminus is required at Gogamukh where, 1 rake of cement and 1 rake of steel is expected to be loaded and unloaded everyday, which will be used in the Lower Subansiri Project. About three hundred trucks will be engaged there everyday.

                Marketing infrastructure for local products 

·        Dhemaji is self sufficient in production of paddy and oil seeds. Well-organized marketing facilities are required for their wholesale trade. For this purpose, wholesale markets along with storing facilities are required to be set up at –

(1)            Silapathar

(2)            Jonai

(3)            Dhemaji

(4)            Gogamukh

·        It is proposed to set up the marketing centers in and around the existing F.C.I. godowns and warehouses of the Govt. of Assam.

·        Dhemaji is historically famous for traditional and indigenous product of Muga and Eri. So, marketing facilities are needed at Dhemaji and Machkhowa area.

D. INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE SECTOR :    

                Handloom & Textiles :

·        Setting up of design centres.

·        Setting up of a deying house.

·        Arrangement for procurement of yarn at low cost/mill gate prices.

·        Promotion of prêt-e porter fabrics under a common brand name.

·        Setting up of a finishing house for handloom fabrics.

·        Organisation of exhibition for promotion of indigenous handloom products.

·        Include traditional designs in the district website.

·        Setting up of marketing centers.

·        Setting up of a power loom estate.

·        Awareness programme among weavers.

·         Arrange for excursion of weaver to handloom production centres outside the state.

·        Setting up of production centres for commercial   production.

     ·        Development of micro-credit facilities.   

                Cold storage

·        The District has a surplus production of potato and winter vegetables. Because of the lack of cold storage facilities, the producers don’t get remunerative prices. Setting up of a cold storage will help.

                Grain storage

·        Because of the high production of paddy in the District, the storage of the produce becomes necessary particularly in the flood season. For this reason, it has become necessary to construct silos in centres like Sissiborgaon, Dimow and Bordoloni.

                Electronic communication and electronic

                   media :

·        To improve the telecommunication system in the district, advance technology like fibre optics/UHF transmission/ZIP transmission should be introduced with provision of dedicated lines to the State H.Q. and Metros.

·        B.S.N.L. network should be upgraded to help in the field of E-Commerce and E-Governance.

                Industry  

                        Dhemaji district is the export point for canes. This has to be utilized locally for making value-added products. For this purpose, the following steps are to be taken.

·        Training centre for cane-craft.

·        Marketing facilities.

·        Design centers for cane-craft.

·        Steps for cane growing.

        Ornamental fish breeding

·        Dhemaji is blessed with abundance of natural resources like water resources. So, ornamental fish breeding should be established in collaboration with Central Fishery Institutes and Marine Export Promotion Development Agency (MEPDA), Cochin.

        Small tea garden

·        The northern part of the Dhemaji District along the foothills of the Himalayas has tremendous potential for tea cultivation. So, the educated and unemployed youth would be provided with land as per government norms for setting up small tea gardens.

          Entertainment industry  

·        Setting up of local recording studios.

·        Setting up of local cable T.V. channels.

        Health care institutions

·        Due to the healthy climatic condition prevalent in Dhemaji District, there is tremendous scope of setting up of health care clinics in the private sector. These clinics have to be provided with land and other basic facilities.

        Sanatorium

·        There is scope for construction of Sanatorium in Dhemaji district basically due to the suitable climatic condition whereby patients recovering from health problems will have a healthy environment to recuperate.

          Industrial growth centres and commercial parks

·        With the commissioning of the N.H.P.C project, there would be surplus power in the district and consequently it will attract investors and this in turn will require land. So, industrial growth centers and Commercial parks will be set up later. Land will be year marked for this now.

IMPLEMENTATION MODE                                        

                In the absence of detailed market potential, the vision document implementation will be in quarterly targets, which will be reviewed and the document altered as required.

                The target for the first three months has been declared in a target document as attached.  

TARGET

              The different Government Departments in Dhemaji district have set the following development targets within time period of 3 months.

Agriculture

Veterinary