Jammu, Feb 3: To boost Agricultural and its allied sectors across the State, the Government has instituted awards for honouring the progressive farmers  at block   , district  and state levels.
 It is for the first time in the state that the farmers are being encouraged by giving awards for their achievements in agriculture and its allied sectors. The instituting of the farmers’ awards is the part of the government’s policy of making the agriculture as thrust area as it is the backbone of the state’s economy involving 70 percent of its population.
 The arrangement for giving away the awards to the selected farmers  were finalized at a high level meeting  held here today  with  Minister for Agriculture, Ghulum Hassan Mir in the chair.
 Minister of State for Agriculture, Javid Ahmad Dar, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production, M. I. Khanday, Secretary  in Agriculture Department, Gaznifar Ali, Director Agriculture Kashmir, Director Agricultural Technology Management (ATMA), Director Command Area, Jammu   also attended the meeting.
 The Minister said that all the allied sectors of agriculture should be represented in selection list and stressed that the selection of the farmers should be strictly on the basis of performance. He said the main purpose of rewarding the farmer community is to give recognition to their work   adding that this would motivate other farmers to show dedication in their respective activities.
 He said “we want to infuse competition among the farmers as it is the only sector which has maximum employment potential.”
 The meeting decided that this award would be given in 3rd week of February in Kashmir province and last week of February in Jammu province. The meeting also finalizes the arrangements for grand mela  being held in Jammu very soon.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST