Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 4: Minister for Horticulture Syed Basharat Ahmed Bukhari today directed the department to initiate immediate works to attain self sufficiency in quality planting material and for boosting processing, preservation enterprises in the State.
‘For this, a twofold approach needs to be taken, viz., development of departmental nurseries in line with scope of the respective Agro-Climatic Zones under existing schemes for maximizing State’s horticulture output and facilitating marketing measures of fresh as well as dry produce’, he said.
The Minister said this while chairing a meeting to review the functioning of Horticulture Department in both divisions and the functioning of Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department in the State.
Minister of State for Horticulture Priya Sethi, Vice Chairperson State Horticulture Development Board Abdul Salam Reshi, Secretary Horticulture Manzoor Ahmad Lone, Director Horticulture Jammu Anuradha Gupta, Director Horticulture Kashmir Mohammad Hussain Mir, Director Horticulture Planning & Marketing Manzoor Ahmad Qadiri, Director Finance Horticulture P.S Rakwal, Director Law Enforcement Susheel Sahni, Joint Director Horticulture Jammu Tarvinder Singh, Joint Director Horticulture Kashmir Lokesh Kumar Bali, DDs, CHOs, DHOs, SMSs and other district officers from concerned departments were present in the meeting.
Taking detailed review of on-ground performance of the department for Kashmir and Jammu divisions, the Minister said that mandate of the department is to facilitate growers with technical knowledge, machinery, marketing avenues; the performance regarding this has been insufficient on-ground.
‘The Government will take all measures to protect the interests of growers. Therefore, to streamline department’s performance on-ground, hence forth, employees’ career progression will be linked with their annual performance’, the Minister directed.
Bukhari passed strict directions to officers to exercise powers vested to them at their own level. He said that district officers should take onus of their charge and not shy away from their duties. He asked them to desist from passing on matters that can be resolved at their own levels to higher authorities without cause.
The Minister set a deadline for 1st week of August for every financial year for submitting utilization certificates to the Directorate.
He also directed for departmental nurseries to be setup and developed as ‘Areas of Excellence’ to provide quality fruit sapling to growers for crops including walnut, citrus, litchi in the State. He asked the officers to explore area wise scope for development of the sector throughout the State so that maximum available potential can be tapped.
Taking note of the delays in making two new pesticide labs fully functional, the Minister directed for immediate manpower augmentation to be taken for the facilities and to be made functional within a fortnight.
It was also decided in the meeting that a conference will be conducted with the growers from the State who have undergone training in other States to take their feedback and views. Further, various district officers were also directed to create an updated database of progressive growers so that they can be facilitated with departmental support and interventions.
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