GUWAHATI: In order to boost farm output in Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi inaugurated the Chief Minister’s special agricultural programme — Mission Double Cropping (MDC) — at a function organized at the auditorium of Dimoria Development Block at Sonapur on Thursday. Gogoi said that the Agriculture Department would be implementing MDC in all the 26 districts of the State from the next Rabi season onwards. ‘‘The objective of the mission is to enhance cropping intensity, agricultural productivity and the income of villagers,’’ said the Chief Minister. He also said that agricultural productivity should be increased in rural areas with the help of such schemes. He stressed development of rural industries so that farmers could receive the benefits of such transformation. ‘‘Without the progress of villages, the State cannot progress as most people in rural areas earn their livelihood through agriculture. We are also planning to set up markets in rural areas so that farmers could sell their produce in villages,’’ Gogoi added. Regarding the exploitation of farmers by middlemen while selling their products, Gogoi said that the MDC scheme would also help farmers to get the right prices for their produce The mission will integrate several other projects such as the Disaster Mitigation Scheme, Chief Minister’s Vegetable Production Scheme, National Agriculture Extension Project and the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana for achieving the desired growth in production. The Chief Minister said that under the new scheme, factors such as timely supply of seeds and fertilizers to farmers and improved water irrigation system would be given the due stress. He also said that a council would be formed, comprising members of the State Agriculture Department, Assam Agriculture University, scientists and farmers, to look after the development of the farming community. Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka, who also took part in the scheme inauguration programme, has asked the officials concerned to ensure timely implementation of the programme in a transparent manner. ‘‘At least 3 lakh people will be benefited from the scheme,’’ he said, adding, ‘‘Local MLAs will also be associated with the implementation of the scheme.’’ As of now, a meagre 11,88,000 hectares out of a total cropland of 28,10,000 hectares in the State is utilized for double or more cropping. The State at present has a cropping intensity rate of 142 per cent, and the objective of the campaign is to raise it to 145 per cent during 2011-12.