Kulgam: Union Minister of State (MoS) for Fisheries, Dairying, Animal Husbandry, and Information and Broadcasting L Murugan Thursday said that the holistic development of J&K was the top priority of the Centre.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that Murugan, who is on a two-day visit to J&K, visited district Kulgam as a part of the Centre public outreach programme and during his review meeting with the officials of the district administration emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the initiative of public outreach to assess the execution of developmental projects and the implementation of various welfare schemes at the ground level.
He said that the government was focused on the improvement and modernisation of the tourism sector in the district which would serve as a measure of employment generation and economic upliftment of the region.
Murugan took part in a series of events and activities during the extensive public outreach programme, visited different sites, and took stock of the developmental scenario of the district.
On the first day of his visit, he reviewed the progress of flood protection works at Ariguntoo and laid a foundation stone for Phase IV of the Flood Protection Bund which would come up at Rs 1 crore.
Murugan also inaugurated Amrit Sarovar at Checkpora, Kulgam, and interacted with locals.
He was informed that under the Amrit Sarovar initiative, more than 270 Amrit Sarovars had been developed and rejuvenated in the district.
Besides these engagements, the Murugan also visited a trout fish farm at Tchansar where he inspected the rearing units, machinery, and other facilities available at the farms and interacted with the fish farmers.
Interacting with the fish farmers, he said that under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, PMMSY, and as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign, the government was committed to promoting inland fishing in the country and special emphasis was being given to hilly areas.
Murugan advised the farmers to adopt the latest technology in fish farming so that they could come up to the mainstream and meet the demands of consumption and also exports, particularly of freshwater fish.
He also visited the famous Aharbal Waterfall, where he stocked the trout and carp seed in the Aharbal (Veshow) stream.
Murugan also flagged off two mobile veterinary units from Aharbal.
He said that the nation was witnessing holistic development and progress in every field with the Centre working in close coordination with state and union territory governments.
Murugan appealed to the youth to come forward and become a part of nation-building.
He was apprised that the Fisheries Department had established hatcheries in all the districts and was supplying fingerling fish to the farmers.
Murugan was also informed that the sale centres had been established at various locations to increase the market availability of the trout.
Earlier, he visited an integrated ultra-high-density farm at Modargam and also interacted with progressive farmers here.
Murugan complimented the district administration for the timely completion of various projects.
Deputy Commissioner Kulgam Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, Director of Animal Husbandry Purnima Mittal, and SSP Kulgam G V Sandeep were also present at the outreach programme.