STATE TIMES NEWS
KATHUA: Director Agriculture, Jammu H. K Razdan on Monday visited the farmer’s fields at Kathua and Hiranagar to inspect the crop demonstrations, field trials and to assess the general condition of paddy maize and pulse crops. During his visit Razdan along with the team of officers, the impact of various technological interventions like line sowing, varietal trials, application of balanced dose of fertilizers, timely sowing and mechanised intercultural operations was observed in maize and paddy at Kattal-Brahmna, Jandi-Larah, Gurah-Mehtian, Chadwal Morh, Airwan and Rajbagh areas of Kathua district.
The Director Agriculture also reviewed the working of extension functionaries like Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs), Junior Agriculture Extension Officers (JAEOs) and Village Agriculture Extension Assistants (VAEAs) involved in the technological dissemination programmes. Razdan advised the field functionaries to remain in regular contact with the farmers to mitigate their problems.
Razdan interacted with the farmers at various villages of Dayalachak and Hiranagar areas to get firsthand knowledge of their difficulties and requirements at grassroot level. The farmers apprised the visiting team that through the adoption of latest machinery and introduction of various new varieties the production level of paddy and maize has increased significantly.
The farmers apprised the Director Agriculture that the field staff, JAEOs and VAEAs are playing important role in the implementation of various centrally sponsored programmes. A strong village-wise digitised database of farmers and their crops is being prepared which will be helpful in the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of various incentives to the farmers.
The visiting officers included Kulbhushan Singh Sambyal, Joint Director of Agriculture (Inputs), Jammu, Nand Kishore Sharma, Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua, Devinder Sharma, District Agriculture Officer, Kathua, K. K Gupta, SDAO, Hiranagar, J. C Raina, Information Officer, Surinder Kapahi, AEO, Hiranagar, R. S Jamwal, JAEO, Ajay Kumar, JAEO, Naresh Kumar Sharma, JAEO and all VAEAs of the area.