Advisor to Governor, Khurshid Ganai on Tuesday directed officials to keep check on the profiteering in agriculture and horticulture sectors across the State.While chairing a high level meeting of officers of Agriculture and Horticulture departments here today, Ganai said that the government would make sure that the farmers and fruit growers across the State get hassle-free services.“Make sure that you keep check on the rates, quality control and availability of the agriculture and horticulture in the products coming to the State,” he said.The meeting which was also attended by farmers and fruit growers’ associations of Jammu and Kashmir was informed that the ‘Tree Spray Oil’ has been distributed to all the district headquarters. The officials gave a detailed summary of the destruction channels by various authorized Oil companies, including Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, and Indian Oil among others. He told officials to notify the standardized rate for the tree spray oil, distributed by the various dealers across the State.
The Advisor told the meeting that the officials should review the preparedness of the stock and other fertilizers available at their respective district headquarters. He urged officials to plug in the loopholes in the service sector.“Our farmers and growers shouldn’t feel that we don’t work for them. They are there to make the State self sustained and we have to work in close tandem,” he said. “This will strike a chord of trust between the farmers and officials,” he said.Ganai stressed on developing nurseries of high density plants which would result in increase of horticulture produce and thereby contribute in upliftment of the State economy. He called for creating awareness about various schemes and latest techniques in agriculture and horticulture sectors.
“Officers must conduct regular tours and field inspections in order to get first hand input about the schemes being implemented and also their status,” he directed officers . “With these activities like field visits, the officials will also be interacting with the local people and addressing the problems being faced by them on ground besides redressing various other issues related to these sectors,” he said, adding “The local level monitoring system should also be put in place by involving the local representatives and other stakeholders so that the schemes are implemented on need basis and in area specific manner, besides ensuring quick redress of various issues.”
Commissioner/Secretary Agriculture Production, M.A. Bukhari, Directors Agriculture, Horticulture and senior officers of departments were present in the meeting.Ganai also asked the Commissioner/Secretary Agriculture to undertake digitization of records, so that same could be made readily available, besides increasing its longevity. He also directed ensuring fast disposal of various court cases related to the departments maintaining that due care must be taken to project the government’s point of view before various courts and other such forums.Later, the Advisor met several deputations from different parts of the State at Circuit House, Srinagar. While interacting with them, he assured them that their grievances would be addressed in time-bound manner by taking up them with the concerned departments. He said it is the endeavor of the Government to ensure that the people do not face any inconvenience with regard to the essential services and other related things and instructions have already been passed down the line to ensure that the quick and prompt redress is ensured.