Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir today inaugurated Munpora Bore Well Pilot Project under Saffron Mission. The Pilot project has been completed at a cost of Rs. 80 lakh and will irrigate 560 kanals of saffron fields of Pampore.
Under National Saffron Mission NSM), 128 bore wells have been sanctioned under the programme for Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar and Kishtwar districts. The construction cost for each bore well is 43.50 lakh which would be borne 100% by the Government and the farmer has only to contribute in laying of distribution network for which the Government will also provide 50% subsidy under NSM.
MLA Pampore, Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Commissioner Secretary Agriculture Production, Dr. Asgar Samoon, Chief Engineer, Mechanical Engineering Department, Mr. Shafat Ahmad Chishti, Director Agriculture, Kashmir, Mushtaq Peerzada, Saffron expert from SKUAST, Prof. Nehvi and saffron growers were present on the occasion. Hailing the efforts of Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan singh and UPA chairperson, Mrs Sonia Gandhi for their sincere efforts of sanctioning the National Saffron Mission for J&K, the Minister said “inauguration of Bore well Pilot project and its successful functioning has negated all the myths that Karewas of Pampore would not be irrigated by implementation of Bore well irrigation project..” He described it a dream that has been realised today.
The Minister directed the Mechanical Engineering Department to speed up the work on other 50 bore wells in first phase and complete them by end of September, 2013. He asked the growers to provide full cooperation in completing this ambitious project by way of procuring the Sprinkles for which the Department would give fifty percent subsidy under the saffron mission so that about 3000 kanals of saffron area would be irrigated.Saying the irrigation facility is the main component of National Saffron Mission, the Minister said that after completion of this ambitious project, the quality and production of the saffron would increase manifold. He said under saffron corn rejuvenation programme as per the guide lines of Saffron mission, the production of saffron has increased besides the farmers reap the crop on the first year of rejuvenation otherwise they reap it after three years through traditional methods.
Calling upon the growers to adopt technological innovations which are mandatory as per the guidelines of saffron mission, the Minister said that Government is paying huge subsidy on various components for successful implementation of the mission. He said that with the implementation of technological innovations the production and quality of saffron would increase leading to strengthening the economy of growers.The Minister said that the Government has taken various steps to provide market linkage to crops. He said that J&K AGRO Industries has recently signed an MOU with some religious institutions of Kerala to provide them quality 12-13 kg of Saffron per month which has helped to increase its rate here.