Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare, Navin Kumar Choudhary reviews AAP of NFSM/SMAE for FY 2021-22

Srinagar: Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare, Navin Kumar Choudhary today held a marathon meeting of all the heads of departments to review the Annual Action Plan (AAP) 2021-22 of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) for promotion of Agriculture and Horticulture here.
The meeting was attended by Directors of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Sericulture, Sheep Husbandry, Floriculture, Director CITH, Director Finance AP&FW, Director Planning AP&FW, Representatives from SKUAST Kashmir and Jammu and Representatives from RDD, Forest, Banks and other allied agencies.
Jammu based officers attended the meeting through video conferencing.
The Principal Secretary took the overall review of the achievements made under several CSS currently operational here. These schemes are part of National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology (NMAET) and has several components to promote agriculture and increase production.
In the initiation the Principal Secretary urged upon the officers to implement all the programmes in a missionary mode as they have a potential of revolutionizing the agriculture sector. He asked them to review its progress continuously so that the results are tangible and visible on ground.
Navin impressed upon the officers to use the funds available under different components of this national mission after studying the local requirements and feasibility so that the benefits percolate down to the lowest level.
He asked them to make best use of all the submissions of this national mission so that each of our agricultural sectors get upgraded for good. He emphasised on translating the action plan into reality so that the goals of this broad based mission as envisaged upon its formation stands accomplished.
The Principal Secretary was informed that under Sub Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE-ATMA) farmers are provided with training both locally and outside besides conducting tours for farmers, Kisan Melas, on field demonstrations, Farmer-Scientist interactions, training of functionaries and establishment of farmer field schools.
He was informed that under this sub mission Rs 777.84 lakhs were utilized in 2020-21 in J&K. It includes expenditure made on training of about 13831 farmers, 4805 exposure visits, 636 demonstrations, 20 Kisan Melas, 169 Farmer field schools and 101 Kisan goshties.
It was further given that for 2021-22 an action plan for Rs 2389.64 lakhs has been proposed. This includes funds for training of 43300 farmers, 32000 exposure visits, 6000 demonstrations and hundreds of other allied activities.
Similarly under Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) component of NMAET financial assistance for procurement of agriculture machinery and equipment is provided besides imparting training, testing and demonstration of post harvest technology and management, the Principal Secretary was informed.
Under this sub mission an expenditure of Rs 1798.56 lakhs was made in J&K. It includes expenditure made on providing of 127 tractors, 233 power tillers, 10 drum seeders, 3 laser land levellers, 97 farm machinery banks besides other equipment and machinery used by progressive farmers elsewhere.
The targets fixed for 2021-22 under the sub mission includes 565 tractors, 1910 power tillers, 107 custom hiring centers, 102 farm machinery banks, 35 laser land levellers, 21 combine harvesters, 25 rotavators and hundreds of other modern gadgets useful to farmers.
The Principal Secretary was also informed that under Sub Mission on Seeds & Planting Material (SMSP) component an expenditure of Rs 1034.46 lakhs was made during the previous financial year. It includes expenditure made on providing of 60590 quintals of certified seeds to farmers, conduction of 965 trainings and construction of a seed storage facility at Jammu.
The target for current fiscal has been set to distribute 63851 quintals of certified seeds,1439 trainings, establishment of 14000 MT capacity seed processing plants, 500 MT capacity AC & dehumidified seed storage godown, 35 (100 MT capacity) dehumidified seed storage godowns, establishment of seed testing labs, strengthening of seed certification agencies and many other concerned activities.
Under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) the production of food grains like rice, wheat, pulses, oil seed, cereals has increased due to distribution of hybrid seed varieties to farmers. Besides it the area expansion under these crops is also the objective under this national mission, the meeting was informed.
An expenditure of about 503.65 lakhs gas been made to this end during the previous financial year. For current fiscal a target for distribution of 9442 quintals of seeds, 300 numbers of improved farm implements, 6370 hectare land proposed for demonstration, 164 water application tools, 650 quintals of High Yielding Varieties of rape seed, mustard and sesame would be made to the farmers of J&K.
Later on the Principal Secretary launched the refurbished website of AP&FW department with an easy interface with all the latest information for farmers and other concerned users.