Jammu, June 13: The Minister for Horticulture and Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma, today said the Government was establishing fruit and vegetable markets in every district and Tehsil to facilitate the farmers adding these Mandis would be equipped with cold storage, processing units and transport facilities.
Inaugurating awareness-cum-farmers meet, Sham said the Government had formulated a comprehensive plan to bring more areas of Jammu division under horticulture cultivation.
He said Jammu had great potential in herbal cultivation, especially the Aleovera, which had great market demand.
He asked the farmers to switch over to new trends and adopt multi-crop techniques to improve their socio-economic conditions. He said the Government would provide them marketing and other logistic support.
He asked them to take full benefits of the centrally sponsored schemes and incentives.
He asked the horticulture department to organize more such programmes in rural areas so that more and more farmers take interest in horticulture cultivation.
Sham also inaugurated two buildings of Primary Schools at village Gopala and Kamalian in Chowki Chowra zone of Akhnoor tehsil.
The buildings have been constructed under Sarva Shiksha Abhyan.
Addressing public at Pangyari, he said the Government headed by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah was committed to provide basic amenities to the people of rural and far-flung areas. He said considering its importance, education sector had been accorded focused attention to make education facilities available at the doorsteps of the people.
During past 4-5 years, a large number of new and existing schools have been opened and upgraded in Akhnoor Tehsil and in the second phase efforts are being made to consolidate the infrastructure at all such institutions, he said.
Asserting that only education can change the socio-economic profile of the rural areas, the Minister asked the people to ensure education for their wards to make their future prosperous.
Elaborating upon the policy of the government for the development of rural areas , he said road sector was vital for the bringing neglected areas at par with the urban centers adding that  the Government was making all out efforts to connect every village with pacca road links.
The Minister said that a comprehensive plan has been prepared to construct more tube wells to overcome the drinking water scarcity in the uncovered areas of the Kandi belt. He said the PHE Department has been instructed to meet the requirements in the badly hit areas by pressing adequate number of tanker service, the Minister maintained.
The Minister said that in order to generate more employment avenues for the local unemployed youth, the government is contemplating to establish an Industrial Estate in the outskirts of Akhnoor town. The administration has been instructed to identify land for the purpose. He opined that after the establishment of Industrial Estate, the unemployment problem of the area will be over-come up to a large extent.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST