SRINAGAR: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of Project Grounding and Monitoring Committees to review progress on the implementation of the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) in the Union Territory at the Civil Secretariat here.
The meeting was attended by the Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Secretary of Agriculture Production Department, Mission Director, HADP, concerned Chairmen and members of all Project Grounding and Monitoring Committees, members of PMU, and technical officers.
Addressing the officers, ACS stated that this plan is a mission for transformative and holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors across J&K with the potential to transform the UT into a sustainable commercial agri-economy. He impressed upon the officers to work in mission mode and coordinated manner to achieve the desired objectives of the plan.
While reviewing the progress on each project being executed under the ambitious plan, Atal Dulloo exhorted upon the members to consult the stakeholders so that all aspects of agricultural and allied sectors are included in the plan.
ACS emaphasized upon the officers to ensure that all projects being executed under HADP are completed within the set timelines. He was apprised that all the preliminary preparations and consultations with the stakeholders are apace and going to be implemented in letter and spirit within its set timeframe.
The sub-projects taken up for discussion during the meeting included the promotion of oilseeds, formulation of 300 FPOs, integrated farming systems, commercial floriculture, rainfed area development, identification of organic clusters in 14 districts and organic zones in 6 districts, alternate agriculture system for sustainability, sensor-based smart agriculture, minimizing pesticide use in agriculture, soil and land resource information system and soil health management, innovative extension approaches for promoting agriculture.
The meeting discussed the upgradation of the existing integrated farming system, the upgradation of 54 nursery units in Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal districts in Kashmir division and Jammu, Udhampur districts in Jammu division.
To increase the production and productivity of oilseeds, the officers informed that they have covered an additional 72,000 hectares under oilseed crops. It was given out in the meeting that 24 hectares of the nursery has been added with the establishment of additional 150 nursery units in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, and Baramulla districts in Kashmir division and Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Doda district in Jammu division. Besides, the production of seed and quality planting material for targeted area expansion under respective components will be carried out under the plan.
Regarding commercial floriculture, it was informed that area expansion of 85 hectares on lavender cultivation with 4-5 clusters in Kashmir and Jammu division each has been done.
For better soil health management, an assessment of the soil health of 4 selected districts of JK at the block level, 2 each in Jammu and Kashmir will be carried out. Besides, the strengthening of 10 soil, water, and plant testing laboratories of SKUAST J&K (2), district level (4), and KVK (4) will be taken up.
The meeting was further informed that 100 mini-soil testing laboratories will be established at the panchayat level in selected blocks of remote areas in five years under the ambitious plan.
Terming Innovative extension approaches for promoting agriculture as the most important project under the plan, ACS directed the officers to Identification of locations for 2000 buildings across J&K with the facility of Nodal Cyber extension Platform-cum-Meeting room.
The facility will serve as a Stop Shop (Licensing for fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, and ICT). He said that the establishment of ‘Kisan Khidmat Ghars’ will revolutionize the Agriculture sector here.
Dulloo said that the ambitious plan will bring about significant improvement in agriculture and allied sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, providing a boost to the region’s economy and benefitting farmers and consumers alike. He said that the interventions under the plan will enhance the quality and quantity of produce in the region.
