JAMMU: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of the State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) here at the Civil Secretariat.
Director MIDH, Government of India, Manoj Kumar, was present in the meeting.
They had detailed deliberation on several key agenda points which inter alia included approval of DPR for the establishment of a nursery under the Public Sector by the Horticulture Department at Ludwal, Jammu, and finalization and approval of Annual Action Plan 2022-23 and comprehensive Action Plan for five years (2022-23 to 2026-27) under National Bamboo Mission (NBM).
It was informed that a number of ambitious steps are going to be taken up under the five-year plan. Besides, a suitable budget will be allocated to establish 25 public sector bamboo nurseries, each with the capacity to nurture 4 lakh saplings. The private sector will also see the establishment of 12 bamboo nurseries, each having the capacity to raise 1.92 lakh saplings.
The meeting was further apprised that the Agriculture Department will cover 1300 hectare of area under Block plantation /Boundary plantation in addition to High-Density Bamboo Plantation on a 162-hectare area through Social Forestry/SKUAST.
Also, SKUAST-J/K will help set up tissue culture labs, bamboo shoot processing, and incense stick units. Funds will also be allocated for the development of tools, equipment, and machinery besides the identification of genetically superior species of bamboo. Moreover, skill development, workshops, seminars, and awareness campaigns will be organized to create a buzz around the bamboo sector.
It was revealed that under the comprehensive action plan, one key objective is to expand the area under bamboo cultivation, with an additional 1462 hectare being brought under cultivation. Besides, 435 farmers and officers would be provided skill development training in reputed institutes of India in addition to their sensitization through workshops and seminars to educate and create awareness among 1550 farmers and officers.
The ACS directed the stakeholders to enthusiastically partake in the implementation of a comprehensive action plan and the National Bamboo Mission. The officers were directed to submit the plan to the Government of India for approval and implementation.
He said that the public sector nursery envisaged under the plan would generate employment and improve the local economy.
The National Bamboo Mission is being geared up towards achieving several objectives, one of which is the production of 7 lakh bamboo saplings. This will be accomplished by establishing nurseries of varied sizes, as well as tissue culture labs, in both public and private sectors.
The meeting was attended by the committee members including Mission Director MIDH, G R Mir; Director Agriculture, KK Sharma; Director Horticulture, Ram Sevak, Director HPM, Vikas Sharma, Additional Secretaries from Cooperatives, Finance and Forest departments, DG Floriculture, Jatinder Singh among other senior officers.
Officers from Kashmir, including Director Agriculture, Director Floriculture, Director Extension SKUAST-K besides others participated through video conference.
