Srinagar, June 5: Maintaining that “protected cultivation” was necessary for J&K economy, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir Tuesday stressed the need for its introduction in a big way.
 The Minister said this while reviewing the progress and achievements of Agriculture Department and its allied sectors at a high level meeting, an official statement said. 
 He said that by launching a campaign for introduction of latest Agri- techniques and hybrid seed in farming practices, the demand for protected cultivation has increased manifold. 
 He said during last one year about 4609 Poly houses have been distributed on panchayat level across the valley to boost vegetable production.
 Minister of state for Agriculture Javid Ahmad Dar was also present in the meeting.

Farm mechanisation
 Appreciating the efforts of Agriculture Department for motivating the farmers to shift to farm mechanization, Mir asked the Director Agriculture to increase the targets of machinery-equipment for this fiscal so that more and more farmers would be benefited with the scheme.
 He said introduction of farm mechanization and new agri-techniques is the way out to motivate the educated agriculture youth for opting agriculture as a profiting activity.
 He asked for making available agriculture implements and tools in large quantity to the farmers on low cost at district headquarters.

Saffron Mission
 Under saffron mission, the Minister was informed that 600 hectares would be covered under regeneration programme for which Rs 50 crore would be spent.

Sericulture
 To boost the sericulture activity in the state, the Minister has stressed for lunching a plantation drive on state and private land to provide maximum leafage to the cocoon growers.
 He said the quality leafage is the lifeline for increasing the quality cocoon production in the state.

RKVY scheme
 The Minster asked the Director for according top priority to setting up of nurseries and other infrastructure under RKVY scheme. 
 He asked the Director to cover maximum number of growers under construction of rearing houses for which government is providing Rs 75000, besides providing health insurance to women rears of the state.

Central projects
 The Minister was  informed that three new Centrally Sponsored Projects namely Aarpath, Romshi-Rambiara and Lar Sukhnag have been approved by IMSC at an estimated cost of Rs 294.04 cr having catchment area 81386 hectares for 2012-13.
 The Minister asked the concerned to complete the ongoing projects at the earliest and stressed for judicious use of funds.
 He also called for monitoring of these projects regularly.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST