Srinagar, March 10: The Jammu and Kashmir government has allocated a total of Rs1,197 crore for the development of the agriculture sector over the last two financial years, with a significant portion utilized for subsidies under various schemes.
The details were revealed in a written reply by the Agriculture Production Department to a question raised by MLA Surinder Kumar in the Assembly.
According to the reply, the government allocated Rs521.10 crore for agriculture development in 2023-24, while the allocation increased to Rs675.88 crore in 2024-25. Out of these amounts, Rs264.90 crore was utilized in 2023-24, and Rs479.32 crore in 2024-25. A substantial portion of these funds was directed towards subsidies, with Rs101.52 crore spent in 2023-24 and Rs209.70 crore in 2024-25.
The investments were made under various schemes aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector. Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the government allocated Rs302.34 crore in 2023-24 and Rs397.18 crore in 2024-25, with subsidy utilization of Rs48.95 crore and Rs134.12 crore, respectively.
Another initiative, Krishonnati Yojana, received Rs22.94 crore in 2023-24 and Rs21.36 crore in 2024-25, of which Rs13.36 crore and Rs14.92 crore were used for subsidies.
The Silk Samagra scheme, which promotes sericulture, was allocated Rs3.99 crore in 2023-24 and Rs13.17 crore in 2024-25. A notable development was that Rs6.91 crore of this amount was utilized for subsidies in the current financial year.
Under the NABARD loan program, the government also released Rs69.80 crore in 2023-24 and Rs114.68 crore in 2024-25, with Rs1.86 crore used for subsidies in the latter year.
The government said that these investments are aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, improving farmer welfare, and strengthening allied sectors like sericulture and horticulture.
It further emphasized that these efforts align with the broader objective of making Jammu and Kashmir’s agriculture sector more sustainable and self-sufficient.
