Navin chairs meeting of Task Force Committee on farmers’ welfare

Jammu: Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal & Sheep Husbandry and Cooperative Departments, Navin Kumar Choudhary Wednesday chaired a meeting of Task Force Committee constituted on the Farmers and Fishermen Welfare under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (ANBA).
The Principal Secretary is the Chairman of the Task Force Committee.
Threadbare discussions were held on various issues, including the farmer oriented schemes, benefits and relaxations announced by Government of India and the steps to be taken to implement each scheme and to project requirement of funds to GoI for providing early benefits to the targeted lot.
The Committee decided that 6 Mandies, three each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions, would be established exclusively for medicinal and herbal plants. The areas identified in Jammu are Batote, Akhnoor and Dayalachak, while in Kashmir these would be set up at Sopore, Batingu and Ganderbal.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology, Sarita Chouhan; Director Agriculture Jammu, Inderjeet; Director Animal Husbandry Jammu Vivek Sharma; Director Horticulture Jammu, Ram Sevak; Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu, Sanjeev Kumar; Director Horticulture, Planning and MARKETING, Imam Din and other concerned officers.
Chief Executive Officer/State Medicinal Plant Board, Jehangir, Director Agriculture Kashmir, A A Andrabi; Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Purnima Mittal besides other senior officers also attended the meeting through video conferencing.
Issuing a string of instructions, the Principal Secretary asked the concerned authorities to achieve the target of issuance of 100 percent Kissan Credit Card by July 15, 2020.
He directed Agriculture and allied departments to hold camps and awareness programs in villages to extend helping hand to the farmers for registration under KCC at nearest Bank branch. “Aatm Nirbhar Bharat requires saturation of KCC to 100% eligible beneficiaries, which need to be completed by 15th July, 2020. Agriculture and allied departments shall participate in KCC Kisan Pakhwada for 100% inclusion and loaning to Farmers / Agri-preneurs” he directed.
He further asked the Agriculture and allied Departments to advertise their schemes/MSP and advisories like Locust threat and mitigation measures by putting hoardings at vantage points.
“Such hoardings, 10 each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions; Pamphlets in Urdu, Hindi and English also be distributed for information of masses” he asked the departments.
Director HPM was also asked to give wide publicity through advertisements about amendments in Essential Commodity Act and other farmers’ friendly acts/ordinances promulgated by GOI guaranteeing free intra interstate market.
The Director Floriculture was asked to submit a proposal for inclusion of flower growers for issuance of KCC and also attend SLBC meeting on 25th June 2020.
Additional Secretary, Horticulture Department was asked to explore the ways to use Mass media and Social media platforms for dissemination of information to the farmers by bulk messaging, including with the help of Facebook or Twitter handle.
The Director, Fisheries was asked to inform about present status of Trout fish production in Kashmir and plan for annual incremental increase with the participation of private sector in next four years vis-a-vis export potential.
“Support/subsidy required on Fish Seed, packaging (5-10 kg Trout Fish packs) and Air transport may be projected. Credible plans for interventions and expansion for Non-Trout Fish farming areas and funding requirements over next four year may be worked out which shall exclude office /building expenses or any other liabilities” he stressed.
The Principal Secretary further stressed on developing Cold chain infrastructure from the present level of 1.5 Lakh MT capacity to 3.5 Lakh MT with a modest target of 10 units/year (5000 MT/unit) for next four years. He said creating more Cold storage capacities in private sector and its availability on subsidized rates to local farmers shall drastically reduce post harvest losses in perishable items especially vegetables in addition to Fruits. Cost component and subsidy may be worked out.
For mechanization in Agri and allied sectors, he directed that requisite information on the prescribed performa may be provided adding that subsidy component on collection materials like cardboards/gunny bags/other packing material required for post harvest management of Agri/Horti/Diary Products also be worked out and included under the post harvest component.
He informed that provision of 2% interest subvention in dairy sector has been kept and timely repayment of credit shall further attract 2% more subsidy on interest.
He further stressed upon all the concerned officers to come up with plans and estimates for various components of Atam Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan scheme and thoroughly work out all the components, including physical and financial and submit the same to his office in stipulated time frame.
The meeting also discussed, examined and determined the additional quantum of benefits that can be obtained for each scheme.
The meeting underlined the need to prepare an estimate of total quantum of benefits and total number of beneficiaries, besides to initiate and monitor steps to be taken by the departments on each initiative.
He stressed that all the components of scheme are at present highest priority of Government at both National and State level.