Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, today visited Spice Park Pampore as part of Central Government's public outreach programme. Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom, ADDC, ADC Awantipora, and senior officers of the district administration were present on the occasion.
During his visit, Union Minister took an extensive tour of Spice Park and inspected the processing units and other infrastructure. He had a comprehensive overview of the Saffron park's operations, emphasizing its crucial role in maintaining saffron quality and securing the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The Department of Agriculture presented a brief overview of working of this Saffron park describing the pivotal role of this unit in maintaining the quality of saffron and inscribing the Geographical Indication (GI) tag on saffron produce.
This recognition ensures the authenticity and origin of the saffron, further enhancing its value in domestic and international markets. In a meeting with saffron growers, Dr. Pandey gathered experiences crucial for shaping policies supporting saffron cultivation and promotion. The farmers, while interacting with the Union Minister, expressed happiness over the role nad efforts of Government in facilitating them saying that this intervention has led to a substantial increase in their incomes.
Later, felicitation ceremonies were held to honor individuals who had qualified for various beneficiary-oriented schemes. Besides, mementoes and prize amounts were also distributed among the individuals who had excelled in their respective fields by the Union Minister. Union Minister highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to boost these industries, pledging government resources and support for local communities and economic growth.
Union Minister's visit to Spice Park Pampore underlines the Central Government's dedication towards promotion of region's spice and saffron sectors.