Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura Saturday asked the officers of Agriculture department and its allied sister wings to work in unison and conduct frequent field visits besides creating awareness farmers about the State Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes, besides latest technology so that the benefits percolate to targeted populace .“Sheri Kashmir Agriculture University of Sciences and Technology (SKAUST) Kashmir and Jammu have already been given directions that the experiences and other researchers conducted by them should not be set aside at University level but it should go from lab to land”, he added.Chairing a meeting of officers of Agriculture and allied departments convened by the Vice Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans Mr. Diljit Singh Chib here today, to discuss the programmes of different organizations in the Agriculture sector and the problems confronted by the farming community, the minister said that the Government is committed to uplift life style of the farmers.
The Minister said to provide unadulterated and genuine pesticides and fertilizers to the farmers, there is a clear cut directions to the concerned to ensure the same otherwise there licensees will be cancelled. The Minister said that the farmers were suffering from last three years but the present coalition Government has distributed seeds of different kinds including hybrid varieties among the farmers well in time.Mr. Hanjura said that the department of Agriculture has established Procurement Centre at different places in Jammu which have good results on ground. He said Basmati were procured at the rate of Rs.1410 per quintal.Responding to the issue of waiving Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) loans, the Minister said that he will take up this matter in the Cabinet meeting.The Minister said that the Agriculture department has started organizing of Awareness cum Exhibitions Camps at every district of the State adding that recently such camps were held at Budgam and Kupwara.Vice Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans Mr. Chib in his address highlighted the activities of the Board and asked the concerned departments to redouble their efforts and conduct door to door survey and interact with the farmers. He also asked them to project their problems at the appropriate level so that the measures to be taken to redress their problems and issues and directed the concerned to come up with expectations of the farming community.
Threadbare discussion was held on establishment of Mandis, arrangements of inputs for Agriculture crops for Rabi 2015-16, establishment of demonstration centers, seed villages and seed bank, distribution of agriculture implements, progress of Kisan Credit Cards and procurement of paddy and adoption of villages for Agriculture development.Earlier, Head of Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Horticulture Produce and Marketing, Floriculture, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Sericulture, Fisheries, Command Area Development, Agro Industries, Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans, representatives from NABARD and Progressive Farmers and Former Director Agriculture Jammu gave brief about the activities of their respective organizations.