Government of Assam created the Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society in November 1998, as an autonomous body, headed by the Chief Secretary, Assam, as its President (Project Guidance Council) and the Agriculture Production Commissioner, Assam as the Chairman (Governing Body). The Project Coordination Unit (PCU) is the head quarter of the Society, which is headed by a State Project Director. The key mandate of the Society is to manage, coordinate, implement World Bank aided projects and any other externally funded projects as authorized by the State Government, and to monitor the implementation performance of the line departments of the projects.
Rice is mainly a rainfed crop in Assam where drought and flood events are very common features causing a big proportion of farmers to undergo distress every year. Therefore, high-yielding STRVs could be a boon for small and marginalized farmers of the state.
Solar Bubble Dryer (SBD): has an inflated solar tunnel, 2 solar powered blowers and is used to dry paddy to optimum and uniform moisture levels at field level. The dryer comes in two capacities i.e. 0.5 t and 1 t. For one tonne capacity the dimensions are 25m length and 2m width.
The Zero tillage technique, a climate resilient technology, introduced in the Project through the technical support of the International Potato Centre (CIP) in potato is gaining high popularity among the potato farmers.
Paddy Cum Fish Culture (PFC) is the integration of fish farming with paddy. This system is profitable and sustainable, as two crops i.e. paddy and fish can be harvested from a unit cultivable area. The wet terrace rice fields where surface and ground water is sufficiently available can be utilized for development of PFC.