Neyaz Elahi
Samba (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today inaugurates Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) building complex in J&K’s Samba district and said agriculture and allied sectors are key focus areas of the UT government.
Speaking on the occasion, LG Sinha who is also the Chancellor of SKUAST of Jammu, stated that agriculture and allied sectors are key focus areas of Jammu and Kashmir government and laid special emphasis on providing sustained handholding to the farmers, besides giving a determined push to these sectors.
“The UT government is taking comprehensive measures for the development and growth of priority sectors like agriculture, horticulture, dairy and poultry and is making interventions by identifying scientific and technological needs of the farming community to achieve desirable results,” he added.
During the event, LG Sinha felicitated the progressive farmers who were trained by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) and are earning a sustainable livelihood, besides involving other farmers in agricultural activities.
He also released publications and newsletter on agriculture sector and allied activities.
LG Sinha further urged the scientists to take the farm technology from the lab to the fields for extending maximum benefits to the farming community.
“J&K government is creating an institutional mechanism by leveraging available technology for the efficient delivery of various rural services, in a transparent manner and with public participation and ownership. Through Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), we can successfully bridge the gap of connectivity between farmers and scientific methods & technology,” he added.
He highlighted various initiatives taken by the J&K government and said that the UT administration has signed an MoU with NAFED to bring reforms in the horticulture sector, for high density plantations, cold storage cluster, market linkage and GI tagging of local products.
“High density plantation of Apple, Walnut, Cherry, Flowers etc., would increase the income of farmers by 3 to 4 times,” Sinha added.
The LT Governor informed that, “NAFED will cover 5,500 hectares of land at a cost of Rs 1,700 crore in the next five years with major focus on Apple, Walnut, Cherry, Pear and other significant horticulture produce and will set up 20 Farmer-Producer Organizations, one in each district.”
LG Sinha also maintained that, “We are working on various levels to ensure that our farmers get three to four time returns of their hard work and investment. All possible help from the administration is being assured for the benefits of farmers.
“With latest interventions by the government, the farm produce would be able to reach worldwide markets and for empowerment of the farmers,” he added.
LG Sinha said that establishment of KVK Samba is a great initiative for the farmers of the area and scientists should work as per the mandate with new innovations in agriculture, which must benefit the end users, that is, the farmers.
He also asked the Vice Chancellor-SKUAST, to make continuous improvements in University’s functioning and work as a knowledge and resource centre of agricultural technology for supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary sector, and advised the to release of agriculture related books in local language for better understanding to the farmers.
Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Rohit Khajuria Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Vice Chancellors of SMVDU, University of Jammu and Central University of Jammu, HoDs of various departments, officers of the University and a large number of farmers were also present on the occasion.
-RJV
