Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura today chaired a meeting to review various development programmes and farmers’ welfare schemes along with availability of inputs for the current Kharif.

Speaking at the meeting he said the government is making all out efforts for sustained growth of the agriculture sector by introducing several innovative measures to enable farmers to get maximum returns from their land. He said the intervention schemes and framer welfare schemes are  designed  to double the farmers’ income by 2022.

He asked experts to lay special thrust on Apiculture, Mushroom growing and Integrated Farming in the State. He also stressed on promoting  Bee keeping in the areas having potential for  seed production and orchards,  which not only help in honey production but also enhance pollination, quality seed production and fruit production.

The Minister asked the concerned officers to intensify field visits and linkage with the farmers to ensure that area specific problems are identified and addressed in time. He called to take up all possible steps and measures to increase productivity level of crops with special reference to Agri-Eco-Situations and Market Potential.

He directed the officers to take all steps and measures for the revival of Departmental Seed Multiplication farms including public private partnership to improve productivity and their economic viability. He said that all the vacant posts shall be made workable very soon through One-Man-One-Post arrangement to make the department more vibrant.

Mr Hanjura further said that Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has been started in the Jammu Division and it will start in the Kashmir Division also and the projects under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) have been submitted to GOI for release of funds.  He directed the Enforcement Wing to check the sale of spurious pesticides and fertilizer in the state with giving more emphasis on testing of the samples and bring the traders under book involved in such malpractices.

Chief Agriculture Officers have been asked to check the testing of seeds with timely availability to the farmers. He also stressed on facilitation of the marketing of Basmati Rice on the pattern as done in case of Mushkbudji Rice in Kashmir. The Hon’ble Minister also stressed the proper stacking and immediate transportation and lifting of fertilizer from the Rake Points.

He directed staff to conduct joint survey with revenue department to get the real data of agriculture crops and the productions.

He asked the officers to prepare and submit various detailed project reports (DPRs) under NABARD and also to persue the already submitted DPRs.

Earlier H. K. Razdan Director of Agriculture Jammu gave a detailed Powerpoint Presentation on the previous achievements and the ongoing activities of various programmes and schemes of the department.  It was apprised during the meeting that adequate arrangement of seed and fertilizer have been made for the season as  13, 780.91 qtls of maize seed has been distributed to farmers against requirement of 18,249.00 qtls. Similarly 3723.47 qtls of paddy, 4.51 qtls of oilseeds, 234.59 qtls of pulses and 2866.00 qtls of fodder seed has also been distributed till date and is being provided to farmers on subsidized rates. Director Agriculture Jammu also apprised the Minister that   24329 MTs of Neem Coated Urea, 16142 MTs of DAP, 5100 MTs of MOP and 1000 MTs of NPK fertilizer has been made available to the farmers of the state till date.

The progress of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) like National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Soil Health Management Scheme (SHMS), Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and National Mission on Saffron (NMS), Kissan Credit Card Scheme (KCC), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was also reviewed in the meeting.

 The meeting was also attended by Joint Directors of Agriculture, Chief Agriculture Officers of all the districts and senior level officers of Agriculture Department.

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