Principal Secretary, Horticulture, Agriculture Production and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary, today chaired State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) meeting of Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).Navin Choudhary had a detailed review of progress made under the mission during 2020-21 and approved an annual action plan worth Rs. 75.73 crore for the financial year 2021-22 for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized upon the officers to ensure that all the earmarked funds are judiciously utilized to the fullest in a time bound manner.Pertinently, the mission is a centrally sponsored scheme for overall development of horticulture funded by Government of India in the ratio of 90:10. Its objective is to encourage aggregation of farmers into FPO/FIG's, enhance productivity and skill development besides creation of employment opportunities. This mission included components like establishment of new gardens, organic farming, creation of water resources, import of plant material, centre of excellence for Horticulture, post-harvest management, HR management, food processing etc.
The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary, Horticulture, Director Horticulture, Planning & Marketing, J&K, Director Research SKUAST-K, Director Floriculture Kashmir and Director Agriculture Kashmir while Director Horticulture Jammu, Director Agriculture Jammu, Director Floriculture Jammu and Director Research SKUAST-J participated online.Mission Director, MIDH, J&K, who is also Member Secretary SLEC, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, presented a detailed Power Point Presentation regarding the working and achievements recorded under the Mission in the UT of J&K.SLEC also accorded approval to several project based activities like establishment of CA store units, Food Processing Units of private entrepreneurs under MIDH.Navin Choudhary asked the Mission Director, MIDH to get certification of the cost of these projects, wherever required from the concerned government organization.Meanwhile, two projects regarding establishment of CA cold store of JKHPMC were also approved subject to fulfillment of all required documentation as per guidelines of MIDH.Chairman SLEC asked the Director Agriculture Kashmir for making irrigation infrastructure established for Saffron areas functional for which funds have been earmarked. He also directed SKUAST-Jammu to expedite establishment of Centre of Excellence at Udheywalla, Jammu.