STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Commissioner Secretary, Agriculture Production Department Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon on Friday convened a meeting to review the status of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) including National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Agriculture Extension and Technology (NMAET), Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting material (SMSP) and Sub Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM) respectively.
Dr. Samoon asked the concerned to further gear up the inputs machinery and the extension network so that benefits of ongoing schemes reach to end users well in time. He directed the Director Agriculture Jammu to prepare a strategy for ensuring prepositioning of wheat seed for 2015 season in Leh and Kargil Districts. He further asked the officers to streamline the mechanism for Kharif season-2015. He also stressed to enhance the Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) and Varietal Replacement Rate (VRR) with quality seed by doubling the targets of open pollinated and hybrid seeds.
Giving power point presentation on the various components of the schemes being implemented in the State, Director Agriculture Jammu informed that NFSM Rice and Wheat is being implemented in eight districts, NFSM Coarse Cereals (Maize) in seven districts, and NFSM Pulses is being implemented in all districts of the state. Under the scheme, approximately 28000 qtls of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seed of wheat crop was distributed among the farmers on subsidized rates during the current Rabi season, he added.
Director Agriculture informed that state extension work plan has been approved by Union Ministry of Agriculture (UMOA), for Rs 26.12 crores and for the implementation of various interventions under the scheme, 390 posts at various levels on contractual basis have been created in order to further strengthen the scheme.
Director Agriculture, Jammu Dr S.S Jamwal and Director SAMETI, Jammu Dr K.S Rissam and other senior officers of the department attended the meeting.