Excelsior Correspondent
SURANKOTE (POONCH), Oct 23: Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Housing Raman Bhalla, accompanied by Member Legislative Council Jehangir Hussain Mir, today inaugurated ‘Kissan Mela-cum-Walnut Fruit Show’ at Government Degree College here today.
The Mela organised by Horticulture Department under Horticulture Mission witnessed participation of a large number of farmers, District Administration functionaries and representatives of political parties.
As many as 40 stalls of Fisheries, Agriculture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Sericulture, ISM and other allied sectors were set up in coordination with progressive farmers.
District Development Commissioner, Sajjad Ahmed Khan, Director Horticulture, Anil Kumar Sharma, Chief Horticulture Officer R K Koul, besides, State President Pradesh Youth Congress Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary, District President Mahila Congress Parveen Sarwar Khan, Sarpanchs, Panchs were present in the mela.
Addressing the farmers, Mr Bhalla asked the concerned functionaries to make every effort to tap horticulture potential in the area by supplying high yielding fruit trees to the farmers. He also called for creating awareness among the farmers about the incentives being offered under various horticulture schemes.
The Minister said that the farmers were being motivated to use modern technology to improve their yield and stressed for close coordination between Horticulture officers and farmers to achieve desired results. He further announced that efforts are on to construct cold storage plant and fruit processing units in Poonch with an objective to give boost to this sector on large scale.
The Minister stressed upon mechanization and diversification in farming to make it a profitable business. He said that the Diesel Ploughs have been introduced for the first time in hilly areas of the State which is showing good results. He said micro-irrigation is being introduced and orchardists are provided with quality planting material for raising new orchards. He said that the drip-irrigation system has been introduced in water stressed areas.
He said that such exhibitions besides encouraging the youth for setting up their income generating units help in developing cordial relationship between the department and the local people.
The Minister said that the department was trying its best to reach out to all the farmers to assist them in increasing their production.
Mr. Bhalla said that various innovative measures have been put in place to bring maximum area under the ambit of horticulture cultivation to improve the economic conditions of the farmers.
The Minister further said that Poonch district having varied agro-climatic conditions, viz sub-tropical, sub-temperature and temperate has the potential to produce different kind of fruits of great commercial value. He said the area under fruit cultivation in the district has increased over years.
Responding to the demands of fruit and vegetable growers, the Minister informed that Government has identified 26 kanal land for developing Apni mandi at Poonch town. He said the Government has already released Rs. 40 lakh for the first phase and the construction work on the auction sheds, platform besides other facilities like drinking water, power and roads would be started soon.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the DDC Poonch said in order to improve the production, 27000 wild fruit trees have been top worked with improved cultivars through the youth trained by the Horticulture Department in the art of top working.
Director Horticulture Anil Kumar Sharma gave a resume of achievements and activities of the department during 2012-13.
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