Horticulture deptt conducts skill dev prog at Udhampur

Udhampur: With an objective to create reserve manpower for propagation techniques and job opportunities for local youth, the department of Horticulture, Udhampur in collaboration with KVK Reasi conducted a ‘Skill Development Program’ at Government fruit plant Nursery, Badolla Udhampur here Thursday.
Conducted under the guidance of Director Horticulture, Jammu Anuradha Gupta, around 22 trainees belonging to farming community of the district participated in the training program.
During the training, the resource persons stressed on the need for encouraging the concept of organic farming and minimizing the use of chemical fertilizers in Horticulture. They also informed the participants about the “Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)”, a centrally sponsored scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits vegetables and other crops.
Chief Horticulture Officer, Brij Vallabh Gupta asked the farmers to avail the maximum benefits of such schemes for raising their living standard. He assured the farmers that all efforts would be made by the department to provide quality plants and other required inputs.
Scientist from KVK, Reasi Dr S N Querishi also delivered a lecture on Scientific Management of Nursery including budding grafting techniques.
Later, the Chief Horticulture Officer distributes tool kit sets among the trainees.
District Horticulture Officer, Udhampur Rajesh Pangotra, Horticulture Development Officer, Rajesh Gupta besides other officers of concerned department and trainees attended the training.
DDC Shopian chairs DLRC meeting
Shopian: District Development Commissioner Shopian, Dr Owais Ahmed Thursday chaired the District Level Review Committee (DLRC) meeting to review the performance of banks and line departments under ACP during the 1st quarter of the financial year 2018-19.
The Meeting was attended by Chief Planning Officer Shopian, Ghulam Jeelani, Lead District Manager, Abdul Rashid Mir, Cluster Head J&K Bank Mohammad Aslam Ganaie, DDM NABARD and District Coordinators of all the banks. Besides Chiefs/District officers, heads of all the line departments of the State Government/sponsoring agencies were also present in the meeting.
The meeting discussed in detail progress and achievements made by the banks in the implementation of various government-sponsored schemes like Kisan Credit Card, NRLM, Housing for all, Handloom, Weavers MUDRA, SHGs, JLGs, Artisan Credit Card, and Stand Up India. Besides the sponsored schemes, loans provided by banks under direct lending mode was also discussed.
Giving the details about the performance of Banks, through PowerPoint Presentation, the meeting was told that total deposits up to 30-06-2018 reached to Rs 838.52 crore, total advances to Rs 1071.44 crore, while as CD ratio stands at 127.78 percent.
On the occasion, DDC exhorted upon the banks to conduct massive awareness camps about the various banking schemes in collaboration with concerned departments to increase the credit flow in various sectors. He stressed upon greater coordination between banks and various line departments.
The DDC stressed on enhancement in overall credit flow of banks in the district which is important for financial impetus and improving income levels and thereby raising the standard of living of people.
He called for focused attention on dairying and sheep husbandry sector for creation of income generating units in far-flung areas.
DDC instructed the officials to spread awareness of schemes including loans for SCs/STs , women’s, mapping of schools with banks, Prime Minister Jan DhanYojna, installation of POS and opening of new accounts among the masses by beating of drums across the district.
He also advised the representatives of financial institutions and sponsoring agencies to come forward and help the urban poor of the capital for eradicating poverty, unemployment and reaching out to the poorest of poor.
The DDC instructed all bank authorities to ensure awareness with regard to financial literacy camps particularly in the rural and semi-urban belts of the district to educate and aware masses about various banking products and Government sponsored schemes.
The line departments were asked to sponsor self-employment local cases at an earliest so that these beneficiaries get the assistance.
DDC Kupwara chairs NABARD meeting under TDF
Kupwara: District Development Commissioner Kupwara, Khalid Jahangir Thursday chaired a NABARD meeting under Tribal Development Fund (TDF), Rural Haat and Farmer Producer Organisation in the Meeting Hall of DC Office Complex.
The meeting was informed that Kupwara with a total population of 870345 has 87% rural people living in rural areas with 70351 belonging to Scheduled Tribes and 103087 from Pahari community.
It was given out that the basic elements of TDF include central focus on *WADI*, which means a small orchard with multiple crops, staggered income through plantation of orchards, family-based approach towards development, community ownership of the project, institutional buildings by the formation of cooperatives and producer organizations.
The key concern of NABARD has been the sustainability of tribal livelihoods through the implementation of TDF in the district, said CGM NABARD.
The representatives of NABARD while explaining the nature of support mentioned that fund support is need-based, location specific and flexible. The project implementing agency will provide the DPR after a prior survey of the villages and finally, funding will be done by way of grant and loan as found appropriate.
DDC Kupwara Khalid Jahangir emphasized the need to strengthen farmer producer organisations towards increasing scale of operations, improving access to markets, enhancing bargaining power and a better understanding of services. For this, he suggested the role of KVKs, agricultural universities, NGOs, Cooperative Societies, Corporates, banks and financial institutions.
DDC urged all the concerned departments to ensure coordination and unity of purpose for realizing the benefits of the TDF so that farmers and all those associated are assured better returns. He instructed the concerned to pursue intense awareness for educating the people of Kupwara about the schemes offered by NABARD and initiate the process of registration of beneficiaries at an earliest. He emphasized for framing programs towards promoting locally available products like walnut and honey.
The meeting was attended by CGM NABARD, JD Planning, CEO, ACD, CMO, CAO, CAHO, Sheep Husbandry Officer and representatives of other concerned departments.