The Government has decided to fully harness diverse agro-climatic conditions of Rajouri suitable for growing rare and lucrative fruit varieties.The decision was reached at a review meeting of District Development Board (DDB) chaired by the Rajouri DDB chairman and Education Minister, Naeem Akhtar.Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali, Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Abdul Gani Kohli, Vice-Chairman, Pahari Advisory Board, Kuldeep Raj Gupta, local Legislators Ravinder Raina, Choudhary Qamar Hussian, Vibodh Gupta and Surinder Choudhary besides divisional heads of all departments and senior functionaries of district administration Rajouri also attended the meeting.The chairman, other Ministers and legislators deliberated on all issues key to economic progress of the district and also reviewed the core sector schemes and action taken on the decisions of the last two board meetings.The economic growth of this district can be achieved only through promotion of horticulture and making best use of its diverse agro-climatic conditions suitable to grow all types of citric fruits, nuts and olive as well as best variety of apple, the chairman said while reacting to unsatisfactory achievements of the concerned department. He asked the concerned functionaries to supply hybrid plant material of these fruit varieties to the farmers which is easily available in the state.
“Once the people realize the potential of this sector there would be no looking back, I assure you no other part of the state has the climate suitable for such a variety of fruits and accessible market”, he said adding a large number of people of the district are already associated with the fruit growing but there is a need to improve the quality to fetch the desirable returns. It was informed that the horticulture department is working on a project to bring 25 hectare area under Peacanut plantation this year.The Chairman asked the department to arrange tours of the progressive farmers of the district to Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture central institute of temperate horticulture Srinagar and SKAUST Kashmir to learn and see with their eyes the advances made in this sector.“They need to be taught the economics of the horticulture as the development of this sector will prove a turning point in the progress of Rajouri” Naeem asserted.The Chairman of the Board set certain benchmarks for the working of government departments and fixed time lines at all stages of project execution including preparation of DPRs, land acquisition, tendering and final completion.Setting time lines for several new and under execution projects, he asked them to project these in the official records as well as in future review meetings.Asserting that the government has embarked on reformative mode, the chairman said the effect has become visible and discourse on working of government has changed. In this regard he cited convergence mode being followed for execution of works, which has facilitated creation of valuable assets and assured optimal utilization of funds.“In Rajouri education department has taken up 49 school buildings under conversion mode.
This method has proved best to prevent the money to get wasted.”He also informed that 43 schools in Rajouri district have been integrated where students can get education from nursery to 12th class, while 10 schools of the district have been connected for online lectures by the faculty of national and international institutes”.Responding to the concern raised by the legislators over the rising water crisis in the Rajouri District, the Chairman directed the PHE department to prioritize the completion of ongoing water supply schemes and restoration of those which have become defunct.On the suggestion of the chairman, all the legislators and Ministers representing the district agreed to contribute one water tanker each out of their CDF to augment the tanker supply in the water stressed areas. The chairman also promised to provide one for the district. Ch Zulfkar stressed on the need for equitable distribution of funds among all regions and sub-regions of the state and asserted this is the fundamental criteria of governance for his government. “All the HoDs of the department should take into consideration all the aspects while providing funds different administrative and geographical areas. We want to remove this sense of disparity which has taken root in the minds of the people”. Abdul Gani Kohli called upon the government functionaries to work with dedication to achieve targets. He asked them to serve the people which are their main duty.