Speaker Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta and Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Tourism, Culture, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi today inaugurated, first of its kind, Phal Diwas being organized by the Department of Horticulture here today.The event was organized as part of the centrally sponsored scheme – Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), with an objective to inculcate and popularize fruit cultivation among urban population. It will also provide green lungs to the city that will help Jammu become fresher and greener.As part of the Phal Diwas celebration, about 300 fruit plant kits comprising Litchi, Guava and Italian Lime along with vermi-compost packs were distributed among the participants.Kavinder Gupta, congratulating the Minister and her department for organizing this event envisaging promotion of fruit plantation in urban areas, said that our nation is primarily dependent on what we grow and produce ourselves and this endeavor is a step forward in this direction.
“Despite the limitations put on people by their busy life styles, caring for a tree doesn’t require much time and attention. By having a fruit tree in their back yards, kitchen gardens, the people will be able to enjoy fresh fruits conducive to healthy lifestyles besides increasing green cover in the urban areas” he said.The Speaker said that development of horticulture contributes in many ways for developing the socio economic condition of the people. He urged the department to hold similar programmes across the state.While addressing the gathering, Priya Sethi, said that horticulture has huge potential in the state and government has come up with many farmer friendly schemes to tap the same. She urged the farmers to work in collaboration with the department to reap maximum benefits from their production adding that this sector provides direct and indirect employment to over 10 lakh people throughout the year.
The Minister speaking on the importance of horticulture for economic growth of people said that government is urging farmers to switch over to high density plants for getting more quantity of fruit in less time.Further elaborating on the government’s initiatives, she informed that “in order to provide proper marketing to the farmers, the department is working towards employing new mechanisms to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the state marketing offices set up in other states to ensure that farmers get best rates for their produce”. The Minister also highlighted that the government has approved 2 Mango villages spread over 100 hectare each and in first year, 2500 plants have been planted in the villages. She said the government is keen to develop these villages on PPP mode.
Priya Sethi also informed that an exclusive package of Rs 529 crore has been approved by the centre government for development of Horticulture sector in the state.She further informed that ‘Centre of Excellence’ in collaboration with SKUAST will be coming up in Srinagar and Jammu for which Rs 780 lakh have already been released by the government. Research oriented work for development of high yield plants would be taken up by these centers.On the occasion of 1st Phal Diwas, Priya Sethi urged the people to plant fruit trees their homes and other alternate lands available.Also present for the event were Director Horticulture Bhawani Rakhwal, Director Floriculture K.K. Sharma, Deputy Director Horticulture Mr Manhas, Chief Horticulture Officer Yogesh Kesar, other senior officers and prominent citizens.