JAMMU: The Department of Horticulture Jammu is making all the efforts to create awareness among the farming community for plantation of fruit crops. In this context, under the chairmanship of Director Horticulture Jammu Ram Sevak, the Department of Horticulture today conducted a farmers awareness camp at Panchayat Sungal-B, Akhnoor wherein more than 100 farmers including women participated besides Sarpanch Ram Pal & PRI members.
While addressing Farmers, Fruit Growers at sungal, the director stressed the need to encourage High Density Plantation in the area. He said that the Government was providing all assistance to the farmers and they should take the benefits of the central and UT sponsored schemes of the department.
He urged farmers to adopt integrated farming in their fields and avail the benefits on different components viz: Bore Well, water harvesting tanks, Drip irrigation, Custom Hiring Centres, Vermicompost units, Strawberry & Aloevera cultivation, protected cultivation, tools & implements etc. for upliftment of their socio- economic status.
Further, he asked them to form Self Help Groups (SHG’s), associate with the Horticulture department and assured that the department will help them in setting up of Micro Food Processing units under the PMFME scheme, a landmark initiative of Aatmannirbhar Bharat Abhiyan for the value addition of fruit products which will not only provide employment opportunities, but also become self reliant and can play an important role in enhancing the family income.
Earlier, the Chief Horticulture Officer Jammu S. Sarbjeet Singh welcomed the Director Horticulture Jammu and deliberated on Rainy Season Plantation during the ensuing season. He briefed the farmers in detail about the schemes of the department and emphasized that they should go for compact plantation comprising of at least 4 beneficiaries covering an area of minimum 200 kanals following which irrigation source like community bore well for the plantation may be created free of cost and also establish Custom Hiring Centres / Farm Machinery Banks wherein the department is providing 40% to 80% subsidy which will ultimately generate employment opportunities for the youth.
Sarpanch Pyt. Sungal B, Ram Pal also spoke on the occasion and thanked Director Horticulture for organizing such camps to create awareness among the farming community.
Later, the Director Horticulture gave sanction to the progressive orchardist for establishment of Farm Machinery Bank with the assistance of the department and also distributed fruit plants among the participants in presence of Chief Horticulture Officer Jammu, DLSMS (Pomology), HDOs and sarpanches/panches of the area.
DLSMS Sandeep Gupta carried out the proceedings of the programme and finally presented the vote of thanks.

KR Desk