J&K will become No 1 region in farmers’ income in 4 years: LG

Baramulla, Oct 6: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Friday said Jammu and Kashmir would become the number one region in terms of farmer’s income in the next 4 years.

An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that inaugurating the ‘Rabi Campaign – Sowing of Rabi Crops’ during the Sankalp Saptaah at Aspirational Block Singhpora in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the LG said, “I am sure that with the hard work of farmers, extension of scientific knowledge and technologies by tapping the potential of diversification and intercropping, and robust linkages for end-to-end operations from sowing to selling, J&K will become the number one region in terms of farmer’s income in the next 4 years.”

Sharing the efforts of the J&K administration to bring a paradigm shift in the cultivation of Rabi crops, he said, “During the previous Rabi season, Kashmir division for the first time had witnessed a yellow revolution and an area of 1.4 lakh hectare was brought under mustard cultivation. Upto Rabi 2020-21, about 70 percent of cultivable land used to remain fallow in Rabi season.”

Sinha said that the Rabi cropping intensity in the Kashmir division had increased rapidly.

“In 2022-23, farmers harvested 2027 metric tonnes of Rabi crops which realised the estimated revenue of Rs 5000 crore,” he said.

“It is a golden era for agriculture and allied sector. I am confident the exponential growth in the agriculture sector will contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat,” the LG said.

Highlighting the significant impact of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) on the agriculture sector, he said that under the revolutionary intervention, the farmers of J&K were being encouraged to join Agri Stack and use innovative and sustainable solutions available across the country as per their needs.

“A sustainable mechanism is also being developed through technological interventions to provide doorstep delivery of services and necessary information to farmers,” Sinha said.

The LG directed the officials to make dedicated efforts to establish Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) in every panchayat.

“Cooperative sector holds immense capacity for agricultural growth and prosperity. The penetration of PACS and Farmer Producer Organisations at grassroots level will bring stability and sustainability to production, value addition in agriculture and allied sector,” he said. “Training and capacity building programmes are also playing an important role in increasing farm productivity. Leave no farmer behind. Officials should ensure all the farmers are registered on the Daksh portal and all possible assistance, and benefits provided to them.”

On the occasion, Sinha also inaugurated a custom hiring centre and handed over sanction letters to the beneficiaries under various schemes. 

He visited the stalls put up by farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, and government departments.

The LG extended his felicitations to the farmers and directed the officials to ensure a timely supply of critical inputs, fertilisers, and facilitation of innovative technologies to enhance production for self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses.

Progressive farmers also shared their success stories and thanked the administration for extending support and assistance to them.

Vice Chancellor Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) Nazir Ahmed Ganai; Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Shailender Kumar; Principal Secretary to LG, Mandeep Kumar Bhandari; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Vijay Bidhuri; Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla Syed Sehrish Asgar; and Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal were also present on the occasion.