Govt working for empowerment of women
Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, July 4: Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said the Centre is committed to the holistic development of Jammu and Kashmir and aims to make it the horticulture hub of the world.
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Calling the region the “crown jewel of India,” Chouhan praised its natural beauty, the warmth of its people, and its immense agricultural potential during the sixth convocation ceremony of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K) in Srinagar.
“Jammu and Kashmir’s fruits, flowers, and vegetables are exceptional in taste and color. We want to make Jammu and Kashmir a global horticulture hub. The Holistic Agricultural Development Program (HADP) is being implemented successfully in the region,” he said.
Moved by the hospitality he received, Chouhan added, “The cool breeze, fragrant soil, breathtaking nature, and the warmth of the people have truly touched my heart. Even a Shikarawalla on Dal lake greeted me with affection. I will carry this love and share it with the rest of the country,” he added.
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The Minister conferred degrees on over 5,200 graduates and praised SKUAST-K for academic excellence, noting that the university currently ranks fifth among State Agricultural Universities and is poised to become the top-ranked. “It has students from across 30 States, Union Territories, and even foreign countries,” he said.
Chouhan recalled an emotional appeal made by CM Omar Abdullah during a previous NITI Aayog meeting, urging Ministers to visit Jammu and Kashmir. “You said the internal situation is stable and only disturbed by external elements. We accepted your invitation and held a successful advisory committee meeting yesterday,” he said.
To boost the region’s horticulture sector, Chouhan announced the establishment of a Rs 150 crore Clean Plant Center under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). “This centre will provide disease-free planting material, reducing reliance on imported saplings that often carry viruses or bacteria,” he said.
Highlighting improvements in yield, Chouhan said, “In 5,000 hectares, apple production has increased multiple folds. I hope to see the day when India no longer imports apples and Kashmir’s produce is exported across the globe.”
The Minister also visited border villages with the State Agriculture Minister and SKUAST-K scientists, underscoring the Government’s priority to reach neglected areas with agricultural support.
Urging graduates to contribute to nation-building and agritech innovation, he said, “Convocation is not the end of learning but the beginning of a new journey. Food cannot be made in factories. Agriculture is the backbone of India’s economy, employing over 50% of our people.”
Chouhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for agricultural reforms and noted that India’s food grain production has risen by 44% in the past 11 years, with record highs in rice, wheat, maize, soybean, and groundnut.
Reaffirming the Centre’s focus on agriculture, he highlighted PM Modi’s six-point strategy: increasing production, reducing input costs, ensuring fair prices, providing compensation for losses, promoting natural farming, and preserving land for future generations. “India’s agriculture is not just for itself-this is a land that considers the world as one family,” Chouhan said.
The Minister said the Government is striving to make women socially and economically empowered by ensuring they earn more than Rs 10 lakh annually.
Chouhan was talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, “Lakhpati Didi Sammelan”, that celebrated the achievements of women-led self-help groups at Khonmoh in the outskirts of the city here.
“Our sisters and daughters should not be affected by poverty, their lives should improve and they should have economic and social empowerment. For that, NRLM programme is going on under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“J-K Government is also running that campaign. The aim is to make women lakhpatis who have more than Rs 1 lakh annual income. Many women are earning more than Rs 1 lakh. Now, we have to strive to make our sisters millionaires who earn more than Rs 10 lakh per year,” Chouhan said.
The National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is a poverty alleviation programme implemented by the Rural Development Ministry.
Hundreds of women beneficiaries under the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative from various districts participated in the event, sharing their inspiring journeys of economic self-reliance and transformation.
A ‘Lakhpati Didi’ is a self-help group (SHG) member with an annual household income exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
While addressing the gathering, the Minister praised the women as “real change makers”, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to supporting rural women.
“The Government will always stand by you in your journey toward greater empowerment,” he said.
Highlighting the success of flagship initiatives such as the Ladli Lakshmi and Ladki Behna schemes, the minister said these transformative schemes are positively impacting the lives of women across every region of the country.
Chouhan also distributed certificates of appreciation to six standout achievers – Manisha Devi, Taja Begum, Soni Devi, Parveena, Samiya Jan, and Shubeena Jan – recognising their success in creating livelihoods for themselves and employment for others.
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