INTRODUCTION

Assam Rural Infrastructure & Agriculture Services (ARIAS) was launched in the State with effectuully from 1st September 1995. The total Project cost was Rs. 567.65 Crores. The Broad Objective of the Project were (a) Improvement of equity and poverty alleviation; (b) Improvement of nutrition of rural poor; (c) Acceleration of growth of the farm sector; (d) Capacity building of state government technical services for project planning and implementation; (e) Association of community in project activities with NGO’s as facilitators and (f) Commitment to the liberalization process. The Project was successfully completed on June 30, 2004 enabling the State Government to obtain a follow-on  Project titled ‘Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project (AACP)’. The objective of AACP is to increase the productivity and market access of targeted farmers and community groups.  Key indicators of success would be increased yields of crops, fish and livestock products - complemented by an increase in the proportion of marketed surplus. Although the over-riding objective is to stimulate growth of Assam’s agricultural economy, project activities would be predominantly pro-poor, directed primarily at small and marginal landholders, poor fishing communities and the landless. Negotiations with the World Bank for the AACP were held during October 25 -29, 2004. Signing of Development Credit Agreement and Project Agreement took place in New Delhi on January 14 2005. The World Bank declared the project Effective from February 24, 2005. The total Revised Project Cost (RCT) is Rs. 1019.22 Crores. The sources of funding will be – (a) World Bank (IDA) assistance Rs. 766.33 Crores (75.2 % of RCT), (b) State Government contribution Rs. 91.84 Crores     (9 % of RCT), (c) Beneficiaries contribution Rs. 161.05 Crores (15.80 % of RCT). Implementing departments (Project Implementation Units - PIU) are Agriculture, Fisheries, Public Works, Animal & Husbandry Veterinary, Dairy, Forest and Assam Agricultural University, NGOs, Community groups, Farmers Interest Groups (FIG), etc. The rural connectivity will be improved by upgrading rural roads in 9 districts namely Barpeta, Nalbari, Goalpara, Dhubri, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Karimganj, Jorhat and Hailakandi, covering total 716 Km Rural roads upgradation including conversion of about 285 timber bridges to RCC and strengthening another 1000 km of Gravel Roads. Under the Agriculture, the Project has a provision for (a) 750 Nos.  Tractors, (b) 1500 Nos. of Power Tillers (c) 60,000 Nos.  Shallow Tube Wells, (d) 20,000 Nos. Low Lift Pumps and (e) Micro Watershed drainage activities on 20,000 Ha, (f) Upgradation of 24 rural primary wholesale markets and 50 local Hats.  Assistance will be provided to small and marginal fish farmers under Fishery component to rehabilitate existing farm ponds covering 1200 ha, 200 ha of community tanks and 3,000 ha of beels. Other activities covers upgrading dairy herds of small holders through artificial insemination program, improve milk marketing through formation of milk marketing cooperatives/self help groups (SHG) etc. Agricultural Marketing will focus in commodity marketing.   The Project Spread in various district may be seen at Overview>Geographical coverage. The implementation period of AACP is from February 24, 2005 to March 15, 2012. While the individual schemes will be implemented through the line departments, the responsibility for overall monitoring and coordination of the AACP is vested to the ARIAS Society, as notified  by the  Government of Assam.The line departments of AACP is responsible for implementation of the schemes.

ASSAM RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICES (ARIAS) SOCIETY