Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Sundeep Nayak today convened a meeting with the officers of Agriculture Department at Krishi Bhawan to review working of Agriculture Production Department and implementation of various farmer welfare schemes in Jammu Division.Speaking on the occasion Mr Nayak asked officers and field functionaries of the department to focus on production and productivity enhancement of crops, resource conservation and enhancement of farmers’ income through implementation of the various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and State Sector Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Chief Minister’s Commitment Projects (HCMs), Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM) and National Adaptability Fund for Climate Change(NAFCC).He gave specific instructions to the officers of the department to take requisite steps to improve production of Rajmash in Bhaderwah & Marwah area of Doda and Kishtwar districts, honey in Ramban, traditional basmati rice and high value vegetables in Jammu, maize, ginger turmeric and garlic in Reasi, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri & Kathua and mushrooms in Samba to facilitate farmers in entrepreneurship development.
He said that such products should get adequate exposure in the National Market and direct marketing channels should be woven into the action plans for giving boost to these crops as envisioned by the government. He impressed upon the Chief Agriculture Officers and Sectoral Officers of the Jammu Division to personally monitor the Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) for more realistic yield assessment and also to ensure access of farmers to improved technology and quality inputs. Mr. Nayak asked the Extension Functionaries to persuade and facilitate flow of credit to the farmers through Kissan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme and implementation of crop insurance under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to make our farming risk free against weather and other odds. It was apprised that an area of 3.30 lakh hactares has been covered under current Kharif season crops with distribution of 3723 qtls of paddy, 10200 qtls of maize, 234 qtls of pulses and 2866 qtls of fodder seeds. 14865 qtls of Urea, 9434 qtls of DAP and 594 qtls of MOP has been made available to the farmers of Jammu Division during current Kharif season.
The Principal Secretary also reviewed the functioning of Soil Health Card Scheme (SCHS) and Fertilizer and Pesticide Quality Control Laboratories.Earlier Director Agriculture Jammu gave a detailed power point presentation regarding various action plans and schemes being implemented by the department. He also gave an overview of the current stocking/availability of seeds, fertilizers and other inputs for the ongoing Kharif 2017 season and informed that thrust is being given in areas of saffron cultivation, mushroom growing, bee-keeping, farm mechanization, use of improved production technology and facilitation of marketing facilities.Rakesh Khajuria, MD, J & K Agro-Industries Ltd, Dr. Suresh Kumar Sen, Director Finance, Susheel Sahni, Director Law Enforcement, A. K. Malhotra, Project Coordinator, NAFCC, K. S. Sambyal, Joint Director of Agriculture (Inputs), Bulesh Zutshi, Joint Director SLUB, Chief Agriculture Officers, Deputy Directors and other senior officers of the department attended the meeting.A Deputation of farmer’s leaders including Tejinder Singh, President RS Pura Basmati Growers Association Choudhary Dev Raj and Kuldeep Raj also met the Principal Secretary and apprised him regarding various problems and demands of the farming community. Speaking to the farmers deputation he said that department will make all out efforts to look into the problems of the farmers