Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary, today chaired the meeting of Inter-departmental Working Group (IDWG)/ State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE-ATMA), Sub Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM) and Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Material (SMSP) here at Krishi Bhawan Talab Tillo.These all components are covered under “National Mission on Agriculture Extension & Technology (NMAET)”.The meeting convened to review the physical and financial achievements made during 2019-20 under Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SAME), SMAM, and SMSP 2019-20, besides to scrutinize the 2020-21 Action Plans under the SAME to be submitted to State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) and approval of Annual action Plan under SMAM, SMSP 2020-21.It was apprised that State action plan has been formulated as per guidelines of the SAME-ATMA schemes. The thrust areas under the scheme include identification of best progressive farmers for motivation of other farmers, publication of success stories with focus on large scale trainings/exposure visits of extension officers and field functionaries and awareness dissemination at the block level.The Principal Secretary, on the occasion, called for developing a Kissan App with all type of information including technical guidance, soil health, KCC, Transportation/ marketing and cold storage related facilitation for the farmers. He also stressed on the formulation of effective training and capacity building programme for farmers and officers at SAMETI and SKUAST J and SKUAST K with the involvement of faculty from Agriculture Universities across the country. Further, he directed to fix the accountability of Extension agency to create visible impact in the field.The SLEC approved the Work Plan for the SAME 2020-21 for further recommendation to SLSC. The SLEC also discussed and accorded in principal approval to the Action Plan under “Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)” and Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP) for the year 2020-21 with the directions to review the components in coordination with SKUAST-J & K and making necessary inclusions, if needed.It was apprised that Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) of 35% for Self Pollinated Crops and 40% for Cross Pollinated Crops has been targeted under the work plan of 2020-21.
Director Agriculture Jammu, Inder Jeet, who is also Mission Director NNAET, made a detailed Powerpoint Presentation on the annual action plan under Sub Mission on Agriculture Extension (SAME) Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) and Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP) in the meeting.The IDWG was also attended by VC SKUAST Jammu, Dr. J. P. Sharma; Additional Secretary RDD, Rakesh Kumar; Director Fisheries J&K, Mohd Amin Mir; Director Animal Husbandry Jammu, Viveek Sharma; Director Horticulture Jammu, Ram Savak; Director CAD Jammu, Smita Sethi; Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu, Sanjeev Kumar; Director Floriculture Jammu, Kishore Singh Chib; Director Planning Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare, Dr. H. S. Arora; Director SAMETI-J, Dr S.K. Gupta; Director Research SKUAST; Joint Director of Agriculture (Extension) B. K. Chandan; Director of Agriculture (Inputs), Anil Nargotra; Joint Director SLUB, Daisy Bhan; Technical officer APD, Vijay Upadhay; Deputy Director Agriculture Central, S. Inderjeet Singh; Agriculture Economist, K. K. Sharma.VC SKUAST-K, Nazeer Ahmad; Director Agriculture Kashmir, A. A. Andrabi and other Kashmir based officers attended the meeting through video conferencing. Meanwhile, the Principal Secretary to Government Agriculture Production Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary also inaugurated newly Upgraded Naturally Ventilated Poly Green House (NVPGH) at Krishi Bhawan Talab Tillo.Agronomist (Vegetable) S. A. S. Reen apprised that the existing structure has been upgraded and fitted with Fan and Pad system to enable raising of vegetable nursery throughout the year. Fan and Pad cooling System uses heat in the air to evaporate the water from plants and other wetted surfaces which can be used to cool the green house below the outer temperature. Further, it was told that the target of growing 10 lakh seedlings of different vegetables has been set for this year for further distribution to the farmers.Later, the Principal Secretary took a review meeting of the Agriculture production Department wherein feedback was taken regarding progress of various schemes being implemented by the department including Kissan Credit Cards (KCC), Pradhan Mantri Kissan Samman Nidhi, Soil Health Cards (SHCs), Trikuta Mushroom Corridor Project, Preparation of District Agriculture Atlas, Identification of Panchayats for Integrated Farming Adaption and formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmers Produces Organizations (FPOs) etc. He impressed upon the officers to ensure success of Kissan Pakhwada beginning from 7th of July and aiming at to achieve 100% coverage under KCC/ PM Kissan. All events during the Pakhwada should be organized observing strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, he added.