Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary, today conducted an extensive tour of Seed Multiplication Farm Chinorehere to personally take stock of the requirement of infrastructure for modernization of the Farm.He was accompanied by Secretary, Agriculture Production and Horticulture, Manzoor Ahmad Lone, Managing Director, J&K Agro Industries Development Corporation, Bhawani Rakwal, Director Agriculture, Jammu, H K Razdan, Director Horticulture, Jammu, Anuradha Guptaand other senior officers of the Department.Manager of the Seed Multiplication Farm, Subash Panhotra, gave a detailed briefing to the Principal Secretary Finance regarding the activities at the Farm. He informed that the Farm has achieved production of more than 22000 quintals of seed last year which is a record.Complementing the Farm staff for achieving record production of seeds despite the farm being located on the border and facing intermittent cross-border firing, Navin asked the farm management to increase the production of seeds to the level of 30000 quintals next year and assured all possible assistance in this regard.Recognizing the problems faced by the farmspread over 2265 hectares of land, Principal Secretary Finance ordered replacement of 15 tractors, other machinery, construction of additional threshing platform and renovation of godowns. He assured that the necessary budgetary provisions will be made during the forthcoming budget discussions for the same.
To stop encroachment or theft in the farm, he also ordered construction of chain link fencing of the farm in a phased manner. He also ordered auction of all old equipment, vehicles and other unserviceable items after following due procedure.He also inspected the latest machinery being used at the farm like combines, seed drills, trans-planters, multi-crop-threshers, tractors, potato planters, ridgers, offsets etc.Speaking on the occasion, Navindirected the staff to prepare the plan for running the Farm on modern scientific lines with the utilization of latest machinery and available technologies to explore the full potential for seed production. He stressed that the Farm has to play a vital role in supply of quality seeds in the State. Considering the viability and profitability of the farm, additional resources for inputs and running the plant and machinery at full capacity will not be a problem, he said and called for bringing every inch of the land including the cultivable wasteland of the farm under cultivation through technology up-gradation, micro-irrigation and improved systems.Later, Navin visited the under-construction Kissan Ghar and office complex at Talab Tiloo and directed immediate completion of the building in next two months. He also directed that the additional fund requirement will be provided under the languishing projects scheme.