Jammu, March 24: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo on Friday directed the officers to create massive awareness among the farmer community about the 29 projects and other Central-sponsored schemes of various sectors of agriculture at the panchayat level. He stressed upon the need to conduct workshops at the panchayat level so that the maximum number of farmers can get information about the schemes of the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP).
Chairing the first meeting of District Nodal officers to review the launch of the District Wise Orientation Plan for farmers under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) at the Civil Secretariat here, Dulloo directed the officers to focus on six tools while conducting awareness programmes on various schemes. These six tools, which form the base of workshops, include providing knowledge by video, conducting question-answer sessions with farmers, involving PRIs, conducting baseline surveys to collect data, making farmers aware of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Yojna and providing information on Kissan Credit Card. He also said that officers should conduct on-spot visits without any excuse as per the final calendar.
Secretary Tourism, Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah; Director Agriculture Jammu/ Kashmir; Director Horticulture Jammu/ Kashmir; Director Animal Husbandry Jammu/ Kashmir, Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu/ Kashmir, all Districts Officer of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry and Technical Officer of Agriculture attended the meeting in person and through virtual mode.
The ACS said that a minimum of three awareness programmes should be conducted in every panchayat. He said that the launch of the District Wise Orientation Plan for farmers under HADP will help farmers get adequate knowledge about various schemes and projects launched by the government, which will ultimately help in the development of the agricultural sector in the Union Territory.
‘Crop diversification to be main focus in Kharif 2023’
Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Agriculture Production Department J&K Atal Dulloo on Friday directed the officers for early implementation of various programs for a successful Kharif cropping season.
Chairing a meeting to review the preparedness for Kharif 2023 at Civil Secretariat here, Dulloo asked the officers to work in a coordinated manner so that the farmers’ interests could be safeguarded at every level. He highlighted the importance of crop diversification in the overall development of the agriculture sector.
The meeting was attended by vice chancellor SKUAST-J, SKUAST-K, Secretary APD, Director General planning APD, Special secretary Horticulture/ Agriculture Production department, Director Horticulture Jammu/Kashmir, Director Agriculture Jammu and Kashmir.
While addressing the meeting, the FC said that during the Kharif season, under the crop diversification program, an additional area of 8000 hectares shall be brought under vegetable crops, 2000 hectares under pulses and 500 hectares under millets in Kashmir division while in the Jammu Division, 1000 hectares shall be brought under vegetable crops, 5000 hectares under fodder crops, 1200 hectares under millets and 800 hectares pulses.
He said the introduction of millets is a new initiative this year in the Kashmir division and shall be very beneficial to the farming community.
Dulloo also directed that SKUAST-J will provide 430 quintals of breeder seed to the agriculture department in the current year and shall also double the quantity to 807 quintals for the next year. It was also said that SKUAST-K has already provided a sufficient quantity of breeder seed to the Department of Agriculture Kashmir.
