FACE TO FACE WITH minister for Agriculture / MMSFVEP being launched to give boost to agri sector: Hanjura

Govt has taken a
number of initiatives for development of
agriculture, allied sectors to increase production, productivity of crops and to enable farmers to take advantage of market opportunities.
This was stated by the minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura during his exclusive
interaction with the
Young Bites.
Here are the excerpts of his interaction.
Vijay Gupta
VG: Farmers are the backbone of our economy, what has done by the govt to upgrade their economy?
GN: It is very right that the farming is an important sector and the farmers are also the backbone of our economy, the government has taken a number of initiatives for development of agriculture, allied sectors with focused strategy to increase production, productivity of crops and to enable farmers to take advantage of market opportunities.
The government is committed to upgrade the living standard of our farming community, in this regard new avenues are being explored for investment in the sector and a new hope among the people has emerged with the concerted efforts of the department.
Some major initiatives, which are to be announced for the farming community includes Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Farmers Value Enhancement Programme (MMSFVEP), will be launched soon in the State to give further boost to agriculture sector.
It will be taken up on pilot basis in one block of every district for which an allocation of Rs 22.50 crore is being proposed under CAPEX for 2018-19.
VG: The saffron growers in valley are also facing many difficulties like the farmers in Jammu region, why?
GN: The government will shortly commission State of the Art Saffron Spice Park at Dusso (Pampur) which is fully equipped for quality control, testing and e-trading facilities.
I wanted to express my gratitude to Chief Minister and Finance Minister for earmarking Rs 5 crore for the purpose as there was a constant demand from the Saffron Growers. Under Capex Budget 2017-18, Rs 62 lakh have been allocated for Sericulture out of which Rs 37 lakh have been utilized on various Sericulture activities.
Under CADP, four projects are ongoing at Sonawari, Ganderbal, Uri, Vessuand Kulgamin Kashmir division amounting to Rs 20.57 crore. 12 new projects amounting to Rs 92.17crore are proposed and DPRs for the same have been prepared.
VG: What other major projects are with the govt to boost the agriculture sector?
GN: There are many projects with the government, to boost the agriculture sector, In Jammu division, projects including at Pargwal, Udhampur, Rajouri, Kishtwar & Ramban have been taken up at a cost of Rs 90.47 crore besides 5 new projects amounting to Rs 181.73 crores are proposed.
SKUAST-K has released 12 new varieties for cultivation in the State including 2 of rice, 2 maize, 2 brown sarsoon and one each in Rajmash, chickpea, lentil, methi, coriander and soyabean.
Similarly, SKUAST-J has developed an Integrated Farming System (IFS) model for small and marginal farmers for their livelihood, security and doubling of farmer’s income.
The institutions like SUKAST to ensure that the farmers are consistently apprised on new researches, technologies being developed by State agriculture scientists, so that they can utilize these in their farms and increase their productivity.
This was not all the senior PDP leader and the minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura has to say about himself and his department, more should be discussed with the same leader in our next session of Face to Face with the Agriculture Minister Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, till then good bye.