Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department Sundeep Kumar Nayak (IAS) on Wednesday chaired a state level project screening committee meeting on Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) at Agricultural Complex Lalmandi Srinagar.

Sundeep Kumar while addressing the meeting said that for the year 2017-18, an amount of Rs. 32.81 crores shall be spent during current year against the approved action plan of 2016-17. In addition to RKVY there is one more subscheme of RKVY under implementation in the state which is National Mission on Saffron aiming to revive the economic potential of the Saffron crop in the traditional Saffron growing belts of the state.

He further said that 22 departments are bought under RKVY and have been instructed that 60-70%expenditure should be completed upto September-October so that Utilisation Certificates (UC’s) can be sent to the government of India and more allocation can be demanded. “RKVY is a beneficiary oriented programme where there is focus on production, marketing and mechanisation. There is also focus on research and development in agriculture and allied sectors through SKUAST K and J,” he added.

He said that till now Rs 238.75 Crores have been released under this scheme out of which Rs 232.07 crores have been spent upto March 2017. Principal Secretary also instructed SKUAST-J and Director Agriculture Jammu for the development of Saffron Processing Unit at Kishtawar on research and development basis.

Hon’ble Vice Chancellors of SKUAST Jammu, Pradeep Kumar Sharma and Prof. Nazeer Ahmad were also present in the meeting. Mission Director RKVY and Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Aijaz Andrabi presented power point presentation on RKVY.

Director Agriculture Kashmir said that 99 projects are underway, which also include 14 new projects by agriculture and allied departments for the current financial year.

Prof. Nazeer Ahmad, VC SKUAST-K said that under RKVY Rs 32 Crores plan for the current year has been discussed and maximum expenditure will be made till October 2017.  We are working hand in hand with allied departments for the development of farming community.

Pradeep Kumar Sharma, VC SKUAST-J said that RKVY is a beneficiary oriented scheme launched in the state to support the farmers technically and economically.  The vision of doubling the farmer’s income upto year 2022 can be achieved by such schemes.

Secretary Agriculture J&K APD, Director Agriculture Jammu, Chief Conservator Forest Department, Director Sericulture J&K, Director Floriculture Kashmir, Director Fisheries J&K, Director Animal Husbandry Jammu, Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Director Horticulture Kashmir, Director Research SKUAST-K, Joint Director Floriculture, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Society, Deputy Director Sheep Husbandry and concerned officers attended the meeting.

Guest