Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura today said that development and economic uplift of farmers is top priority of the Government and the present dispensation is working on various measures to double the income of farmers by 2022.The Minister made these remarks after laying foundation stone of New Agriculture Complex at Lal Mandi along with the Minister for Education, Mohammad Altaf Bukhari.Hanjura said that Agriculture Department and Agriculture Universities must work in close coordination so that farmers would get benefit from scientific work being carried out by the varsities.He said that different schemes initiated by the Department will only be successful on ground when research work of agriculture scientists would reach to farmers. He said that Agriculture department has a goal to double the farmers’ income by 2022.The Agriculture Minister said that the Government is committed to reconstruct the agriculture infrastructure damaged in 2014 floods.
He said Rs 1.15 crore would be spent on construction of the New Agriculture Complex Lal Mandi and other infrastructure would also be reconstructed in near future.The Minister for Education, Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that Agriculture Department should intensify its efforts on ground so that farmers would get maximum benefit from scientific works of the department and use latest technology and practices in the field. He said that construction of New Agriculture complex would benefit the department to carry out their day to day affairs smoothly after it was badly damaged during 2014 deluge.Director Agriculture, Altaf Ajaz Andrabi said the Government of India has allocated Rs 30 crore under Prime Ministers Development Programme for restoration of Agriculture infrastructure. The New Agriculture complex will be constructed under this package.Principal Secretary Agriculture Production, Sandeep Kumar Naik, Secretary Agriculture, Showkat Ahmad Beig, Director Command Area Development Programme and senior officers of Agriculture Department were also present on the occasion.