Jammu, May 22: Director Agriculture Jammu, Arvinder Singh Reen, Thursday undertook a two-day extensive tour of district Ramban, with a focus on the implementation and progress of various ongoing agricultural initiatives and schemes.
During the visit, the Director convened a detailed review meeting at the Chief Agriculture Office, Ramban, where he assessed the status of several Central and UT-sponsored schemes, including HADP, JKCIP, CSS, and NABARD. He also reviewed the progress of various flagship programmes under SHCS, PMFBY, KCC, PM Kisan, and RKVY. CAO Ramban, Vinay Kumar Jandyal, briefed the Director about the status of field activities. The meeting was attended by yaz Rishi (SDO Ramban), Naveen Kumar (SDO Gool), Jamshed Ahmad (ASCO Ramban) and other officers.
Director Reen inspected key agricultural infrastructure in the district, including the Mushroom Unit and Honey Processing Plant at DCTC Ramban, and visited the Integrated Farming System (IFS) Model established by progressive farmer Zubair Ahmad Sohail at Chenab Valley Farm, Village Chamalwas, Banihal. Commending the initiative, he urged farmers to embrace Integrated Farming for sustainable income generation. Further, Director Agriculture inspected a Low-Cost Polyhouse of beneficiary Abdul Rashid Khan in Panchayat Karwah, Zone Banihal, highlighting the importance of protected cultivation. At a well-attended farmer’s gathering in Banihal, he elaborated on various components of HADP, encouraging farmers to utilize the Kisan SATHI Dashboard to apply for government schemes related to plantation, protected cultivation, water harvesting, drip irrigation, custom hiring centers, farm machinery, processing units, and nursery establishment. While interacting with farmers and beekeepers at Ramban, he issued instructions to field functionaries to provide immediate technical support to address the challenges faced by farmers. Emphasizing the potential of apiculture in the region, especially following the GI tagging of Sulai honey, Director Agriculture called for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Apiculture in Ramban.
