Director Agri undertakes extensive tour of Billawar–Basohli to boost farm sector

Kathua, July 19: In a determined push to enhance agricultural development and farmer welfare, Director Agriculture Jammu, Arvinder Singh Reen, Saturday conducted a comprehensive field visit to the Billawar–Basohli area of District Kathua on Friday. He was accompanied by Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua Jatinder Kumar, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officers of Billawar and Basohli, district-level officers and staff.A statement issued here said that the visit began with a review meeting at the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office, Billawar, where the Director interacted with field staff to assess the implementation status and on-ground challenges of key government schemes, including Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). Reen directed officers to ensure timely and effective execution of these schemes to maximise their benefits for local farmers. As part of the tour, Mr Reen visited the Organic Vegetable Outlet at Billawar, established under the “Khet Se Dukaan Tak” initiative. Emphasising the significance of organic agriculture, he highlighted the need to promote chemical-free vegetable production and create better marketing linkages to strengthen sustainable farming in the region. Later, the Director held a detailed interaction with the Branch Manager of J&K Bank, Phinter, to review collaborative efforts with the Agriculture Department. Discussions centred around expediting the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and PMFBY enrolment processes and addressing farmers’ field-level grievances. Reen called for improved coordination between bank officials and agriculture field staff to facilitate smooth registration, land verification, and timely delivery of financial services to farmers.