L-G launches horticulture week to double J&K farmers’ income

Continuing the government’s endeavour to realise the prime minister’s goal of doubling income of farmers by 2022, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday launched horticulture week by planting saplings at Akhnoor

Continuing the government’s endeavour to realise the prime minister’s goal of doubling income of farmers by 2022, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday launched horticulture week by planting saplings at Akhnoor.

J&K L-G Manoj Sinha during inauguration of horticulture week in Akhnoor on Wednesday. (PTI)

The horticulture week will focus on the broad contours of initiating massive plantation drives, taking objective steps in nursery development, promoting mechanisation among the farming community, creation of water sources, human resource development through training and strengthening the post-harvest management with the overall mission of doubling the farmers’ income in the UT.

Sinha observed that the government has set an unprecedented target of planting 25 lakh high-density plants this year as compared to 49,000 in 2019, which is a new record in the history of horticulture of Jammu division.

In addition, another 1.20 crore plants of aloe vera and 42 lakh plants of strawberry will be planted, besides 67,500 plants of olive will be planted in Ramban and Doda districts covering around 270 hectare, this year.

He laid e-foundation stone for a 100-acre mega high density plantation nursery coming up at Chakroi, RS Pura, besides launching Jammu horticulture mobile app and ‘Parvaz’ - a market linkage scheme for benefit of farmers.

Sinha spoke of initiatives taken by the government to facilitate the farming community and extending handholding to farmers through different government schemes with the aim of increasing their income.

“Horticulture has become the backbone of the economy of J&K. From state-of-the-art machinery to new plants, water supply resources for farming, training, expansion of the area of high density plantation, many innovative measures were taken in the past one year and many more are in the pipeline for the future deliverables aiming at growth of the farming sector,” added Sinha.

He expressed satisfaction over the strides made in agriculture and horticulture to fulfil the PM’s goal of doubling income of farmers by 2022.