Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday restructured the agriculture production department with the aim of doubling income of farmers, orchardists and people dependent on animal, sheep husbandry and fisheries for their livelihood.
Around 70 per cent of population is dependent on these sectors and creation of a fully-fledged Agriculture Production Department by merging three existing line departments – Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare, Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries and Horticulture – is likely to synergize efforts of the government in achieving the target of doubling farm income, an official spokesman said.
He said the restructuring would ensure that all schemes for welfare of the population engaged in these sectors are available under one umbrella in a single department.
“The benefits of various schemes available in these sectors can be converged and made available to farmers, orchardists and others as a comprehensive package,” the spokesman said.
He said the decision would also ensure that the inter-sectoral requirements of agriculture and allied sectors are met in a hassle free manner and will act as a milestone in transparent and timely transfer of funds to the farmers.
“This shall also be a step forward to achieve the objective of the Government to secure a comprehensive transformation in the livelihood of farmers in Jammu and Kashmir by modernizing technological interventions and diversifying support systems available in the agriculture and allied sectors,” the spokesman said.
He said the decision is also likely to promote agri-entrepreneurship as a means of high return and respectable employment in a big way.
