Minister for Horticulture and Housing, Mr. Raman Bhalla has said the Government was making concerted efforts to enhance horticulture produce in hilly areas of the State, adding that in this regard several schemes have been launched in the State under Horticulture Mission to acquaint the farmers about the rich benefits of horticulture.This was stated by the Minister while addressing a large gathering of fruit and vegetable traders after inspecting the proposed site for establishment of Primary Rural Fruit and Vegetable market at Tamotar Morh in Kud, here today.The Minister said that the Government would establish a Fruit and vegetable market with all modern facilities at Tamotar Morh in Kud. He said in this regard 5 kanals of land have been acquired and a project report of Rs. 1. 50 crore prepared for approval of funds.
The Minister said that farmers have been motivated to avail advantage of modern technology for improving their yield and close coordination between Horticulture officers and farmers is necessary for promotion of the horticulture sector as large section of farmers earn their livelihood from this sector.The Minister asked the officers to conduct awareness camps in regular basis in hilly and far-off areas of the State for providing requisite information and knowhow to the farmers for applying scientific methodology in their fields. He stressed on organising more such camps in other blocks of the district.
The Minister said that Government is considering setup a cold storage plant and food processing unit in Udhampur. He said that establishment of such units under private sectors would be encouraged and for the purpose the Government would provide 55% of subsidy under Centrally Sponsored Scheme to the intending unit holders.Mr. Bhalla stressed upon mechanization and persification in farming to make farming a profitable business. He said introduction of Diesel Ploughs in hilly areas of the State which is shown good results, adding that micro-irrigation is being introduced besides orchardists are being facilitated with quality planting material for raising new orchards. Mr. Bhalla underscored the need for mass awareness of the schemes launched by the Government for benefits of the farmers living in hilly and rural areas. He called for a change in the mindset of the unemployed youth towards entrepreneurship and asked them to opt horticulture and be the job providers instead of job seekers.
The Minister said that the department is trying its best to reach out to all the farmers to assist them in increasing their production. He said that the farmers should boost the horticulture production supplemented by dairying activity for income generation. He also stressed for adoption of organic farming for producing high value production of different crops.The Minister also distributed cheques worth Rs. 4.01 lakh besides certificates among the diesel tiller and incentive to those who completed course in F&V preservation at a public grievances redressal camp at Kud.During his day long extensive tour accompanied by MLA, Mr. Krishen Chander Bhagat, District Development Commissioner, Ms. Yasha Mudgal, Director Horticulture (P&M) Mr. Showkat Ahmed Zargar, Director Horticulture Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma, Managing Director HPMC Mr. Mohammad Rafiq, besides other senior officers visited several areas to take stock of different activities launched by the Horticulture department for promoting fruit and vegetable crops in the district. The Minister said that development of fruit mandi at Kallar is in progress adding that so far Rs. 4.34 crore have been released for purpose against which Rs. 3.18 crore have been expended for construction of auction shed, administrative block, toilet block, besides approached.