Holistic agriculture development plan will double J&Ks agricultural output, says top official

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Implementation of schemes under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan ( HADP) of the Jammu Kasmir government would double the agricultural output of the Union territory and give a fillip to its agricultural export, said Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo while reviewing HADP implementation with the heads of Project Grounding and Monitoring Committees.

The ACS, while addressing the meeting held in this regard, exhorted the officers to implement HADP in its entirety keeping its aims and objectives in mind. He asked them to complete all the preliminary work beforehand regarding issuing of tenders, procurement and management of human resources. He asked them to maintain transparency by framing thorough specifications of tender documents for timely procurement and utilization of resources, said a statement issued by Jammu and Kashmir agricultural department.

“These 29 projects being implemented under HADP would surely double the outcomes in agriculture and allied sectors besides boosting exports from Jammu Kashmir to other parts of the country and abroad as well,” Atal Dulloo said.

Dulloo also took stock of the position of funds available under each scheme of the plan. He directed the officers to submit deliverables under each of the components in time so that these are completed within the set timeframe.

The sub-projects which came under thorough discussion on Friday included the promotion of High-Density Plantation and rejuvenation of Orchards, Food Processing and Development of Clusters for specific products of Jammu Kashmir, Dairy Development, reorientation priorities regarding mutton products, Poultry Development, Fish Seed production, Trout culture, promotion of wool processing and marketing, support to Human Resource Development for a technological backstop for sustainable and accelerated transformation of Agriculture.

Some of the works which were deliberated upon during the meeting include EoI for Nursery Development over 134 Ha, establishment of Mother Block Development over 170 Ha, New High-Density orchards over 5500 Ha, rejuvenation of 2000 Ha orchards, the establishment of Tissue Culture, Plant testing and virus testing labs.

Similarly, the meeting discussed the creation of new semen stations, an increase in the number of AI centres, the deployment of additional AI and A HELP workers, establishment of 500 new milk FPOs/SHGs. The avenues like import of 2,700 elite stud animals, the establishment of 2000 commercial sheep farms and 72 breed-based farms across J&K, the establishment of breeder farms and hatcheries, horti-poultry units, Trout hatcheries and trout feed mills also came up under discussion.

The plan includes a total of twenty-nine projects based on the principles of economy, equity and ecology which shall transform the agricultural economy of J&K putting it on a new trajectory of growth, almost doubling the output of the sectors, boosting exports and making the sectors sustainable and commercially viable. This will herald a new phase of farmer prosperity and rural livelihood security in J&K. The agricultural output which stands at Rs 37600 crore shall increase with a resultant increment in sectoral growth rate to 11%.

Moreover, the interventions would result in creating employment opportunities for over 2.8 lakh youth and establishing around 19,000 enterprises. More than 2.5 lakh persons shall be skilled in various agri-enterprises. In the next five years, the UT shall have a motivated workforce with agri-entrepreneurial skills in a commercially viable and ecologically sustainable agri-ecosystem, as is envisaged with the completion of this holistic development plan, said Jammu Kashmir agricultural department. (ANI)