SRINAGAR, JANUARY 11: State of Art India International Kashmir Saffron Trade Center (IIKSTC) will be commissioned soon at Dussu, Pampore, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan said today.
He was speaking during a tour to Pulwama wherein he reviewed the developmental scenario and youth engagement programmes of the district.
While chairing a meeting, the officials said that Jammu & Kashmir is the 2nd largest Saffron producing area in the world and is only state in the country where saffron is being cultivated. Initiative for economic revival of J&K Saffron, National Mission on Saffron was introduced during 2010-11 at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crores and 3715 hectares of saffron was proposed to be rejuvenated under the mission. Under the mission, government has built State of Art International Kashmir Saffron Trade Center also known as Spice Park at Dussu, Pampore at a cost of Rs 37 crores. Latest machinery has been installed at stigma separation unit, Quality evaluation laboratory, besides packing machines and cold storage facilities have been constructed in the centre. For e-marketing, Single Registration and Login for PAN India auction, easier access (via electronic media) for catalogues, My Catalogue and buying tracker. Auto bids and parallel bidding, easier access to market depth anonymity of buyers during the bidding process thereby ensuring fair price discovery, seamless and flexible payment system, 24×7 immediate delivery order are also the part of the center. The centre will create hundreds of new jobs for unemployed youth of the district.
The Divisional Commissioner directed officers to complete the required formalities immediately so that it will be thrown open for saffron buyers at an earliest besides unemployed youth of the district will also get benefited from the upcoming trade center.
The meeting was further informed that 450 kanals in Pulwama district have been brought under High Density fruit plantation and Rs 2.50 crores of subsidies stand distributed to the new generation of orchardists. More than hundred sheep farms were established by unemployed youths under different schemes besides new abattoirs are coming up in different locations of the districts.
Div Com asked the concerned officers to make agriculture, horticulture and sheep husbandry a sustainable and remunerative economic activity for unemployed youth which will create new generation of agriculture entrepreneurship persons across the district.
To provide best sports facilities across the district, Khan directed Youth Services and Sports department to identify new sports fields which can be furnished with synthetic turf so that future national and international sports players can be groomed there.
The Divisional Commissioner also reviewed de-addiction centers, area wise coaching centers, skill development of youth in different fields, Khelo India, engaging of youth in co-curricular activities and other youth related schemes and programmes.
Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Ghulam Mohammad Dar, Directors of Agriculture, Horticulture, Sheep Husbandry, Joint Director Youth Services and Sports, Assistant Commissioner with Div Com and other concerned officers were present in the meeting.
