Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Manzoor Ahmad Lone, today visited Baramulla and chaired a meeting here to review the functioning of the Department in the district.District Development Commissioner Baramulla Dr Nassir Ahmad Naqash, Director Agriculture, Director Horticulture, Director Horticulture Planning and Marketing, Director Sericulture, Director Planning Baramulla, Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, District and Sectoral officers of Agriculture and Horticulture Departments, officers of Agro Corporation and other concerned attended the meeting.The meeting took a detailed stock of progress achieved under the horticultural and agriculture sectors in the district. Various issues related to these sectors were also reviewed threadbare in the meeting.The Secretary directed the concerned officers to identify some villages to be designated as model villages on a pilot basis which would be fully developed under the Horticulture and Agriculture sectors.
He stressed integrated and double cropping system for healthy returns from these sectors. He asked officers to work with added dedication so that both the sectors receive stimulus in coming days in the district.Lone said that the focus should be given on vegetable cultivation, Zagg Rice, fodder and beekeeping in view of the topography of the area. He asked for generating on-line system and ensuring the facilities like banking, toilet, drinking water, electricity in fruit and vegetable mandies in the district so that the traders do not face any inconvenience.He also directed for identifying 50 hectares of land in the district for introduction and promotion of high-density plantation to boost Horticulture sector for which he assured the approval of vermicompost units, bore wells, reservoirs and requisite mechanization.The DDC, on the occasion, sought the intervention from the Secretary to boost Horticulture and Agriculture sectors in the district. He informed the chair that besides walnut industry, steps need to be taken to increase wheat and maize production for encouraging returns.