*Exercise yet to begin on DDB decisions
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 1: PDP-BJP Coalition Government has failed to honor key announcement made in the much-hyped ‘Agenda of Alliance’ about establishment of Basmati Cluster Village in Jammu despite completion of all the requisite formalities. Moreover, the decisions taken in the District Development Board meetings regarding development of Mango villages in Kathua and Akhnoor have yet not been taken seriously by the Government agencies due to least interest from the higher-ups.
Soon after formulation of PDP-BJP Coalition Government on March 1, 2015, Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed along with Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh and Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu released “Agenda of Alliance” containing the developmental and policies initiatives to be taken by the Government.
In the category of key developmental initiatives, creation of model business villages found mention in the “Agenda of Alliance”. It was mentioned that a Model Basmati Cluster Village would be established in Jammu and a Model Apple Village in Kashmir.
Thereafter, setting up of Basmati Cluster Village was found mention in the Budget and subsequently a high level Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh and comprising four more Ministers, two each from the alliance partners, was constituted in the month of April to initiate measures to implement “Agenda of Alliance”.
Soon after the Budget announcement, the concerned authorities of the Agriculture Department formulated a project for promotion of organic Basmati Cluster Village of Suchetgarh in R S Pura area of Jammu district for the benefit of farming community and submitted the same to the Administrative Department for further necessary action, sources in Agriculture Production Department told EXCELSIOR.
Thereafter began the process of seeking queries by the Agriculture Production Department from the concerned officers in Jammu. Subsequently exercise vis-à-vis cost benefit analysis of the project with present cost benefit ratio of Basmati rice, comparative study of organic and inorganic farming, phasing of outlay proposed for the development of Basmati village, introduction of modern technology and scope of organic farming in Suchetgarh-Korotana Basmati Rice Cluster was conducted and necessary details were furnished to the Agriculture Production Department.
Though all the requisite formalities have been completed, neither formal approval has been given till date nor funds have been released to translate the key announcement of “Agenda of Alliance” into reality, sources regretted.
About the Modern Apple Village in Kashmir, sources said, “the same is also facing the fate as that of Basmati Village as Agriculture Production Department is seeking reduction in the project cost in respect of Modern Apple Village”, adding the implementation of this announcement of Agenda of Alliance is getting delayed mainly because of some finance related issues, which have not been seriously pondered upon till date.
Due to this, the objectives of ensuring value added quality Basmati production in the cluster; making farming sustainable, remunerative and respectable; creating and ensuring domestic market for high value Basmati rice controlled by the farmers and promoting organic processing and preservation and storage of Basmati rice could not be achieved till date, sources rued.
It is pertinent to mention here that under Suchetgarh Basmati Rice Cluster Project, 220 families of Suchetgarh village, 190 of Korotana and 149 families of Bidhipur Jattan would be covered. Moreover, a total of 757.60 hectare area would come under this project and they would be provided appropriate training and better crop management to ensure decrease in cost of production.
Moreover, the project is aimed at providing better selling opportunities due to training on market intelligence, ensuring direct interaction between farmers and traders/buyers, eliminating middlemen from the agro-trading system and provide premium price to the farmers through reduction in cost of production and better returns.
What to talk of Basmati Cluster Village Project, even the announcements regarding development of mango villages in Kathua and Akhnoor on the pattern of apple and apricot villages in Kashmir valley have not been taken seriously by the higher-authorities of the concerned departments.
“The non-serious approach is notwithstanding the fact that these announcements were made by none else than the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed while chairing meeting of District Development Boards of Jammu and Kathua”, sources regretted.
“No headway in Basmati Cluster Village despite completion of all formalities clearly indicates that Group of Ministers is also not taking implementation of announcements made in Agenda of Alliance seriously”, they said.
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