Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 1: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today underscored the importance of making horticulture, handicrafts and handloom sectors lucrative and glamorous for new generation by introducing innovative and befitting interventions in these traditionally high economic zones.
“The lose of glamour and attraction for young generation to take handicrafts, horticulture and handlooms as livelihood generating avenues has hampered the growth and development of these sectors”, he said stressing the need for encouraging youth to venture in these sectors for growth of economy.
Addressing a joint meeting of high level officers of NABARD and State Administration here this morning, the Chief Minister said that NABARD has an important role to play in the revival of these sectors in the State. He said that higher education, health, agriculture and dairy are other sectors requiring NABARD intervention for comprehensive growth and development.
The Chief Minister appreciated NABARD for helping the State in its stupendous endeavour of universalizing connectivity and linking up rural, far-flung and remote areas with main highways to ensure balanced development. He said that road connectivity has remained focused area in the State’s development policy, adding that PMGSY, CRF, NABARD and State Sector funding is being utilized to achieve the targets of connectivity in the State.
Omar Abdullah said that in horticulture sector pre and post harvest technology, modern packaging, scientific grading and sorting, controlled atmosphere and on-farm storage facilities besides better transport and irrigation facilities are areas where NABARD could provide assistance and support to the State. He said NABARD has also a role to play in the production of high quality and disease resistant planting material for growers.
The Chief Minister said that there is important need to safeguard the domestic varieties of apple like Ambri and other fruit while introducing foreign varieties for cultivation. “It has been observed that local varieties have withstood climatic vagaries more actively than foreign varieties”, he said, adding that this aspect needs to be kept in mind while planning expansion of horticulture cultivation. He said that growers require to be educated about the methods they need to utilize to produce higher per hectare production of fruits.
Omar Abdullah said that handicrafts sector is yet another area where NABARD could associate with the State Government to ameliorate the lot of artisans. He said NABARD has also to find its role in the development and expansion of health and higher education sectors in the State.
The Chief Minister said that dairy farming particularly organizing milk producers into Cooperatives and initiating projects for milk collection, its chilling and processing and other relevant aspects also require NABARD interventions for comprehensive development.
He referred to the initiative of the State Government to encourage the construction of micro and mini hydro electric projects and help local entrepreneurs to invest in this field. He said that government aims twin objectives of generating economic activities and producing electricity in the far-flung areas for the consumption of local people by raising mini hydro electric projects. He said that Science and Technology Department in collaboration with Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is working on various projects in this field. He said that NABARD could also associate in this sector and help young entrepreneurs to invest in this field.
Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary Finance, M. I. Khandey, Principal Secretary Planning and Development, B. B. Vyas, various Administrative Secretaries, Heads of the Departments and senior officers of the State Government were present in the meeting.
The NABARD team was led by its Chairman, Prakash Bakshi. The Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Haroon Rashid Khan was also present in the meeting besides other senior officers of NABARD.
The Chairman NABARD in his introductory remarks presented resume of the areas where NABARD could extend its support to the State for growth and development. The Deputy Governor also identified areas like handicrafts where cluster development could be achieved through NABARD assistance.
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