SRINAGAR: The Apex Committee for the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) in Jammu & Kashmir, headed by former DG of ICAR and Secretary DARE, Dr. Mangla Rai, visited various areas of Srinagar district today. The committee interacted with local agri-preneurs and assessed the overall implementation of various projects under HADP.
During discussions with farmers, the committee expressed satisfaction with the effective implementation of different interventions. The Apex Committee highlighted that the successful execution of HADP will transform agriculture from a subsistence activity into a commercial and sustainable one, leading to higher growth rates. They emphasized that the holistic approach of HADP will ensure equitable distribution of benefits and improve the lives of farming families.
For the holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors, the J&K administration has approved the implementation of 29 projects recommended by the Apex Committee, with an outlay of Rs 5013 crore over the next five years. These projects aim to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability in the region.
Earlier, Director of Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal, briefed the visiting committee members about various interventions under different HADP projects. He informed the committee that the department and the farming community are working in a coordinated manner to achieve the set targets in a timely and effective manner.
The Apex Committee members present on the occasion included Dr. Ashok Dalwai, CEO of NRAA; Dr. P.K. Joshi, Secretary of NAAS; Dr. H.S. Gupta, Former Director of IARI; Dr. J.P. Sharma, Former VC of SKUAST-K; and Dr. B.N. Tripathy, VC of SKUAST-J.