Many farmers and apple growers in Kashmir, who visit Delhi in connection with the apple trade, have alleged mismanagement at Kissan Ghar of J&K Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department at Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi.
Framers said that mismanagement of the Kisan Ghar in terms of its hostel and other facilities was discouraging farmers to visit. They appealed to the administration to take concrete steps to make it functional as per the expectations of farmers.
Javid Ahmad Naikoo, a trader from Sopore, who is also Chairman of Traders in Sopore Fruit Mandi said mismanagement and lack of facilities for staying at the farmer house have left farmers angry.
He said the Kissan Ghar was constructed despite spending crores of rupees, and has failed to meet its purpose as the poor visiting farmers continue to suffer for want of accommodation.
“I visited there many times and it is a costly location for any farmer to stay. The rates are high compared to all ICAR stay establishments in Delhi and secondly the most important that rates for catering are very high compared to any other farmer guest house in Delhi,” he said.
Naikoo said rates for a double bed AC room in ICAR guest houses for agriculture employees in ICAR guest houses ranges from Rs 200 to Rs 400 in Pusa guest houses but the same is double in farmer house Shalimar bagh.
“The rates of food are too high and these are unaffordable for the farmers who are already distressed. There are broken beds and these are very old. There are no beddings and other facilities,” he said.
He said in the past also they have held meetings with regard to the concerns of farmers with concerned officers of horticulture department but nothing has been done so far.
“Farmers and the fruit growers who have frequent visits to Delhi in connection with the business have either to stay in the rented buildings or they are compelled to spend the time in the trucks under the open sky,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad, a farmer from Baramulla said the establishment was created to ease the stay in Delhi. “I think it is not fulfilling the objective. There is no online window to book the room and no transparency in knowing the vacancy for a common farmer,” he said.
“The other factor which I noticed is no justified menu, catering service operated by department employees who run catering in arbitrary ways,” the farmer said.
“I talked to officials of the department many times and they told me that we are looking for outsourcing of catering but in practice it never happened,” he said.
Deputy Director, Central Department of Horticulture Planning & Marketing J&K, Manzoor Ahmad Mir said they have kept approved rates of food there. He said that they ensure that farmers get the best facilities there and the farm house is meant for the welfare of farmers only.
“I visited there recently and interacted with the concerned officials. This is a Kisan Ghar and farmers might face some kind of issue. Otherwise it is running smoothly,” he said.
