Srinagar : Department of Horticulture (Planning & Marketing), Thursday organised a One-Day Capacity Building and Orientation Programme for ground-level officers and officials at the Conference Hall of the Directorate of Horticulture (Planning & Marketing), Rajbagh, Srinagar.
The programme aimed at strengthening the effective implementation of flagship schemes such as the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project in Jammu and Kashmir (JKCIP), besides enhancing awareness regarding the e-SAM portal and cyber security practices.
The programme witnessed the participation of officers and officials from the Department across Kashmir Division.
Deputy Director, Horticulture (Planning & Marketing), Kashmir, Ayaz Ahmad Natnoo, highlighted the importance of continuous capacity building for ensuring efficient implementation of government schemes and digital governance initiatives.
During the technical sessions, experts from the Mission Directorate deliberated on various operational and field-level challenges being faced during the online implementation of HADP and JKCIP projects. The experts provided practical solutions, clarified procedural issues, and guided the participants on streamlining project processing, documentation, monitoring, and timely implementation to ensure maximum benefits reach the farming community.
A dedicated session by IT and Cyber Security experts focused on the significance of the e-SAM (Electronic Scheme Administration and Monitoring) Portal as a unified digital platform for transparent, efficient, and real-time monitoring of scheme implementation. The participants were sensitised about cyber security best practices, safe handling of official digital data, password management, phishing prevention, and secure use of government digital infrastructure.
The experts also explained the concept and importance of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) in identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities in digital systems and applications. They emphasised that periodic VAPT audits and adherence to cyber security protocols are essential for safeguarding government information systems and ensuring secure delivery of citizen-centric services.
The programme concluded with an interactive session wherein participants raised field-level issues and shared their experiences. The experts responded to the queries and encouraged officers to adopt digital tools and best practices for transparent, accountable, and effective implementation of HADP, JKCIP and other departmental initiatives.
