Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura has underscored the need for proper implementation of centrally and state sponsored schemes to ensure their benefits reach the farmers. He has also stressed on keeping them abreast with latest knowhow and providing better marketing facilities to accelerate agricultural growth and ensuring remunerative returns for the farmers .The Minister was speaking at meeting convened to review the functioning of Agriculture, Sericulture, JK Agro Industries and Command Area Development (CAD) departments here today.Hanjura said that focused attention should be laid on improving the marketing facilities and directed for chalking out a comprehensive policy in this regard so that farmers get better return for their produce.While taking a detailed review of progress under Saffron Mission the Minister expressed grave concern over delay in setting up sprinkle irrigation facility and directed Mechanical Engineering department to gear up their efforts to ensure the project is completed within time.He directed strengthening of Law Enforcement wings of the departments to ensure proper monitoring of the rates and quality of pesticides and chemical fertilizers available to farmers.
He asked the concerned to take strict action against those found indulging in unfair trade for safeguarding the interest of the farmers.Earlier, Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department Mr. Sandeep Kumar Naik, Director Agriculture, Jammu Mr. Jamwal and Director Agriculture Kashmir Mr. Showkat Ahmad Beigh briefed the Minister about the activities of the department.The Minister was also informed that the agriculture department has recorded production of 12 lakh mts food grains which can cater to the requirement of 11.54 lakh metric tons for the Jammu division .Regarding the status of District Irrigation Plans (DIPs), it was informed that plans for 20 districts have already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Agriculture Farmers Welfare.The meeting was attended by Director Sericulture, Dr. Malik Farooq, Director CAD Jammu Manisha Devi Sharma, Director CAD Kashmir, Director Planning Agriculture Production department, Chief Agriculture officers and other officers of agriculture and its allied wings.