Srinagar, Aug 21: For the revival of saffron production in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central government has approved a plan of Rs 371.18 crore under National Saffron Mission Programme for four years which includes Rs 286.06 crore as government of India’s share and Rs 85.12 crore as farmers share.
“The 4-year Saffron Mission would take off from this year and an amount of Rs. 39.43 crore would be utilized during the current fiscal for the purpose. To ensure Quality Testing and marketing of the saffron, a quality Control lab would be established at Pampore by National Spot Exchange with a financial outlay of Rs 8.90 crore,” Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir addressing at a press conference here today.
The mission would commence from this year.
The main objective of the scheme is to extend support for creation of irrigation facilities through tube wells and sprinklers which would help better crop in the area.”
Mir said 128 tube wells would be set up in Pulwama district, 106 in Budgam, 10 in Srinagar, 6 in Kishtwar and 3 in public farms. In addition 3715 spinklers sets would also be distributed among farmers with the total financial investment of Rs. 9.69 crores including 28 sprinkler sets for public farms. The total cost for 53 tube wells and 1548 spinklers sets for the current fiscal has been worked out at a Rs. 14.54 crore.
He said 3715 hectares were presently under saffron cultivation in the state.

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