BANDIPORA: Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Indu Kanwal Chib on Wednesday inaugurated an Agri Service Centre (ASC) at Nowpora, established under the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP) by the Department of Horticulture.
The entrepreneur-managed centre will make plant protection machinery and equipment available to farmers on a rental basis, allowing them to access modern equipment without having to purchase it individually.
The Department of Horticulture said the initiative is intended to reduce farmers’ operational costs and facilitate timely plant protection activities, while also creating an entrepreneurship opportunity for the centre operator.
During the inauguration, Chief Horticulture Officer, Bandipora, briefed the Deputy Commissioner on the functioning of the centre and its intended benefits for farmers and the entrepreneur.
Indu Kanwal Chib said such centres would help farmers access modern agricultural machinery and services and support more cost-effective farming practices in the district.

