Director Horticulture visits Zakura nursery, distributes trees
SRINAGAR: Director, Horticulture Kashmir, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat (KAS) Saturday visited Fruit Plant Nursery Zakura, Srinagar accompanied by Chief Horticulture Officer, Srinagar and other officers. During the visit, the Director took stock of various activities at the Fruit Plant Nursery including de-weeding, hoeing and other operations going on in the nursery. He directed the concerned to ensure that all operations be completed well in time.
Under the Backyard Horticulture Scheme, the Director distributed plants on 90% subsidy to the citizens of District Srinagar at Fruit Plant Nursery Zakura Srinagar. During the current plantation season about 4.0 Lakh plants of different varieties have been distributed in Kashmir Division in December, January, out of which 60,000 have been distributed so far in District Srinagar.
More plants shall be distributed subject to release of funds under the scheme. The Director issued instructions to Chief Horticulture officers of the Kashmir Division to ensure wild publicity of the scheme through electronic and print media so that people can avail the benefits of the scheme.
He assured the farmers that the department will provide technical as well as financial support under various developmental programmes and schemes to boost the sector. The Director briefed growers about the benefits under the newly launched Schemes viz. “Operation Greens- Top to Total” and PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) as a part of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’.
The Director said that horticulture plays a vital role in the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, generating employment avenues in allied sectors like fertilizers, pesticides, machinery, post-harvest management, marketing, transportation and irrigation infrastructure. He also asked the officers to keep watch on encroachment of government assets (if any) and take immediate action warranted under rules against encroachers. In view of inclement weather, the Director instructed all the staff to remain prepared for any eventuality.
He also advised orchardists to clear water channels/drains to ensure complete drainage from the orchards and shake trees gently to remove snow immediately from their branches and crotches

KR Desk