Srinagar/June,14: Minister of State for Forest, Environment, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Cooperative and Fisheries, Mir Zahoor Ahmad, Thursday inspected the ongoing construction on Spice Park at Dussu Pampore. He also took stock of under-construction Trade Centre, Guest House and Canteen there.
District Development Commissioner Pulwama G. M. Dar, Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Aijaz Andrabi and other Senior Officers of National Horticulture Board, Union Ministry of Agriculture, Public Health Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments accompanied the Minister during the inspection tour.
On the occasion, the Minister was apprised that the Saffron Park coming up at a cost of Rs 27 crore will be equipped with the Hi-tech machinery for processing, drying, grading, packing and marketing of Saffron qualify control lab, e-auction centre, garbage and waste utilization among other latest facilities. It was also informed that the project is nearing completion and will be commissioned soon.
The Minister directed the officials of Executing Agency, National Horticulture Board to redouble their efforts and speed up the work and complete the project within two months.
Later, the Minister also visited Munipora Village in Pampore Constituency and inspected Sprinkler Irrigation Tube Wells there and took stock of their functioning. He expressed satisfaction over the pace of work on the project and asked the concerned departments to ensure proper functioning of all existing Sprinklers. He also asked them to complete all work on all ongoing Sprinkler Irrigation tube wells in the Pampore Constituency on time so that their benefits reach the intended target.
He said with the installation of these tube wells it will improve production, post harvesting infrastructure, marketing and promote export of major commercial fruit crop.
Highlighting the need of boosting saffron cultivation, the Minister said State’s saffron is famous all over the World which needs focused attention for increase in its yield and better economic returns to the growers.
