“Community participation is imperative in generating awareness about the ill effects of dwindling land resource and efforts required by all stake holders for judicious use and preservation of this vital natural resource" this was stated by Minister for Agriculture Mr Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura while addressing a mammoth gathering of farmers at Agriculture complex Doda.Minister was speaking after inaugurating the Exhibition cum Kissan Mela in which all the allied departments of the Agriculture including Horticulture, Poultry, Apiculture, Sheep and animal husbandry displayed their exhibits. Minister inspected all the stalls and interacted with the growers and farmers. Local varieties of crops like Kulth, Knol Khol, Raddish, Bhaderwahi Rajmash, Dhania and capsicum were the main attraction during the mela. Battery Spayers pump, Chain Saw, Automatic HP tiller, Honey extractor and other equipments used in agriculture and allied sectors were also displayed in the Mela.
Speaking on the occasion Minister said that Economic development of the state is directly linked to the economic development of the farmer community and the present Government in the state has brought many reforms in the timely distribution of seeds and manure among the famers so that a flip is provided to agricultural sector. A slew of measures including stress on the conduct of field survey and research in the crop viability based on the soil suitability has been taken in various Krishi Vigyan Kendras in the state and instructions have been given to take research from labs to fields . The introduction of mobile soil testing and crop diversification is another feather in the cap, he stated.“ In addition to it we are working for the improvement of nutritional content of traditional varieties of crops”, he said.
Highlighting the various features of Pradaham Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana , Mr. Hanjoora said that Agriculture, Irrigation, RDD and Watershed departments have been integrated to translate the vision of the scheme to provide water to every field .Similarly Introduction of High density fruit plants which bear fruits within two years of their plantation with large output per unit of land and conceptualization of the project to bring such fruit bearing pants from Europe to Kashmir valley is another step in this direction, he added.On the complaint of the farmers regarding rise in the rate of fodder seeds, minister said that the price rise was due to crop failure in the last season and the issue will be addressed very soon.
Calling this Government as pro-poor and farmer friendly , he highlighted various policies and schemes introduced by the present coalition for the benefit of masses including the amnesty scheme for Electricity dues, Ladli Beti , Aasra Scheme and the ongoing process of introduction of National Food security Act in the state which will benefit 1.19 crore people of the state. He also informed that scheme of providing 50% subsidy to the KCC card holders which was announced during the recent budget in which farmers who had borrowed money up to 1 lakh will be provided subsidy shall be implemented in the next month and the screening process of the beneficiaries have been completed.
Earlier MLA Doda Mr Shakti Raj Parihar demanded separate directorate for the Chenab valley keeping in view its different topography than the rest Jammu division, cold storage facility for the fruits and agriculture products and completion of Jodhpur lift irrigation scheme at an earliest.Director Agriculture Jammu Mr S.S Jamwal,SSP Doda Mr Z.N Manhas, ADC Doda Mohammad Hanief Malik, Director Sericulture Jammu , Director Command area Jammu, , ACR Doda Mr Vaibhav Kohli, Chief Agriculture Officer Doda Mr H.K Razdan among other District Officers were present on the occasion.