STATE TIMES NEWS
AKHNOOR: In order to gear up the monsoon plantation in block Maira Mandrian, Horticulture Department Jammu on Saturday organised awareness cum interaction programmes at multiple locations of far flung and remote areas in panchayat Baruie, Kathar, Queer and Maira Mandrian of Akhnoor. All the programmes were headed by Chief Horticulture Officer Jammu Sarbjeet Singh, and District Level- Subject Matter Specialist (Pomology) Jammu, HDO Akhnoor Sunil Gupta, besides large number of farmers, Sarpanch & PRI members of the area participated.
While addressing the farmers in the programmes, the Chief Horticulture Officer said that the objective behind organizing camps is to motivate our farmers to associate with the department and take benefit of departmental schemes especially new plantation and creation of irrigation sources. He said that being a kandi area, it is difficult for a farmer to increase his farm production, as he is mostly dependent on rains. But, with the assistance of the department he can create irrigation sources like bore well, water harvesting tanks, shallow well, drip irrigation etc in their orchards.
DLSMS (Pomology) Sandeep Gupta provided the farmers in depth knowledge about the various centrally as well as UT sponsored schemes of the department. He asked them to come forward and avail the benefits on components such as creation of irrigation sources, custom hiring centres, vermicompost units, protected cultivation, tools & implements, post harvest management etc.
The farmers listened the schemes very earnestly and some of them are also motivated on the spot to take benefit of these schemes for their welfare. He also deliberated on Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, (AIF) which aims at providing a financing facility through interest subvention and credit guarantee support on loans for creation of post harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
Horticulture Development Officer, Akhnoor Sunil Gupta carried out the proceedings of all the programmes.
