Introduction
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Introduction The Establishment of J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir is a sincere and powerful demonstration of Government’s resolve to look into the worsening plight of farmers of the State. It would be an arm of the State Government closer to the Farmers and its work would be more relevant in addressing the problems that farmers face in their daily drudgery. Although there are numerous Boards in the country, but the J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans with a holistic and synergetic mission concentrated on welfare and development of farmers of the State is unique of its kind in the country. The Board was constituted in the year 2010 in light of Government Order No: 99 - GAD of 2010 dated 19.01.2010. The Hon’ble Chief Minister is its Chairperson. At present Shri Daljit Singh Chib is heading the Board as Vice Chairman having the status of Minister of State who was appointed by the Government vide Order No: 576-GAD of 2015 dated 20.04.2015. The Government has also nominated 67 Board Members Vide Order No: 692- GAD of 2016 Dated: 02.07.2016 for the Board representing different Blocks and Districts of the State and these members have been drawn among Progressive farmers of the State. The Complete particulars of these nominated Board Members are enclosed as Annexure -B:- 1 Minutes of 3rd Meeting of J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 15th of November; 2016 at 11.30 a.m at Banquet Hall, Wazarat Road, Jammu Present: 1. Hon’ble Chief Minister, 2. Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, 3. Hon’ble Minister for R&B (PWD) 4. Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, 5. Hon’ble Minister for Finance, 6. Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development. 7. Hon’ble Minister for Food, Supplies & Consumer Affairs, 8. Hon’ble Minister for Cooperatives, 9. Hon’ble Minister for Animal/Sheep Husbandry, 10. Hon’ble Minister for PHE, Irrigation & FC 11. Hon’ble Minister of State for Revenue, 12. Hon’ble Minister of State for Horticulture/Floriculture, 13. Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture, 14. Hon’ble Vice Chairman (MOS) J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans. Besides, the following officers were present:- 1. Chief Secretary, J&K State. 2. Financial Commissioner Agriculture Production Department. 3. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu 4. Administrative Secretary Irrigation & F.C Department. 5. Administrative Secretary Animal/Sheep Husbandry Department. 6. Administrative Secretary Rural Development Department. 7. Administrative Secretary Tourism/Floriculture Department. 8. Administrative Secretary Horticulture Department. 9. Vice Chancellor SKUAST Jammu. 10. Director Extension/Research SKUAST Jammu. 11. Chairman Jammu & Kashmir Bank 12. Chairman J&K Cooperative Bank 13. Registrar Cooperative J&K 14. Director Information J&K Jammu. 15. Director Planning (PD&MD) J&K Jammu. 16. Director Floriculture Jammu. 17. Director Horticulture Jammu. 18. Additional Commissioner, Kashmir. 19. Director Horticulture Planning & Marketing. 20. Director Rural Development Department Jammu. 21. Director Rural Development Development Srinagar 22. Chief Engineer Irrigation Jammu. 23. Chief Engineer Irrigation Kashmir 24. Director Command Area Jammu 2 25. Director Agriculture Jammu. 26. Joint Director Agriculture Srinagar 27. Director Animal Husbandry Jammu 28. Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu 29. Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir 30. Director Fisheries J&K ,Jammu 31. Director Sericulture Jammu 32. Adl. Secretary to Government Cooperative Department. 33. General Manager NABARD Jammu. 34. General Manager FCI Jammu. 35. Deputy Director CAPD Srinagar. 36. Deputy Director Central (Agriculture)Jammu 37. Project Officer Command Jammu 38. Deputy Director Floriculture Jammu. The following Members of the Kisan Advisory Board were also present in the meeting:- 1. Shri D.P. Khajuria, Gandhinagar, Jammu 2. Shri Sat Paul Singh Charak, Bishna, Jammu. 3. Shri Rajesh Sharma (Bitu) R. S. Pora 4. Shri Tajinder Singh, Marh, Jammu. 5. Shri Mohammad Maqbool War, Sopore 6. Shri Bashir Ahmed Vaid, Pahalgam 7. Shri Ghulam Nabi Dar, Shangus Anantnag, 8. Shri Mushtaq Ahmed Laway Kulgam, 9. Shri Mohd Shafi Sheikh, Chadora , Budgam, 10. Shri Mohammad Ayoob Rather, Devsar Anantnag, 11. Shri Punchok Tundup Leh 12. Shri Mohammad Ali Majaz Kargil, 13. Ch. Dev Raj, R.S.Pora, 14. Shri Amrik Singh Doda 15. Qazi Abdul Latief Poonch, 16. Shri Chain Singh, Reasi, 17. Shri Narain Dutt, Billawar Kathua, 18. Shri Subash Dasgotra, R. S.Pora 19. Shri Rakesh Anthal, Udhampur, 20. Shri Ziaul Haq Rajouri, 21. Shri Chuni Lal R. S. Pora, 22. Shri Baldev Singh R. S Pora, 23. Peer Shabir Ahmed Kokernag, 24. Aga Syed Mohsin, Budgam 25. Shri Shiv Charan, Udhampur, 26. Shri Arun Sudan, Sunderbani Rajouri, 27. Shri K. L. Sharma, Jammu, 28. Shri Mohammad Shaban Bhat, Pulwama, 29. Shri Ankush Chowdery, Akhnoor, Jammu.. 3 30. Shri Pishori Lal Sharma, Dungi Rajouri, 31. Shri Mohammad Abdullah Lone, Kupwara, 32. Shri Swarn Singh Bhau, Barnai, Jammu, 33. Shri Surinder Singh Pawar Akhnoor, Jammu. 34. Shri Prakash Singh Jamwal, Jandrah Jammu, 35. Shri Vijay Kumar Sharma, Dansal, Jammu. At the outset the Hon’ble Vice Chairman J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans welcomed the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Hon’ble Ministers, Hon’ble Ministers of State, Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries, Officers, Kisan Board Members and other distinguished guests in the meeting. While initiating the deliberations of the meeting he stated that the establishment of Advisory Board for Development of Kisans by the State Government was a sincere demonstration of Government’s resolve to look into the problems of farmers of the State. He stated that the Board would be an arm of the State Government closer to the farmers and its work would be more relevant in addressing the issues of the farmers. The Secretary of the Board read out the agenda points through power point presentation. The members of Board present in the meeting expressed their views pertaining to the improvements required in the Agriculture and allied sectors and suggested the measures which are briefly mentioned as under:- 1. Organic farming is gaining popularity as production through this mechanism fetches premium price. A separate project needs to be planned and implemented for crops, vegetables and fruits in the State. It was informed that five Companies dealing in the export of Basmati rice have executed an MOU with Agriculture department for export of Basmati rice and 13000 farmers have been registered from different districts. These companies are procuring Basmati paddy from the registered growers and exporting rice to different countries. It was suggested that the State is producing Basmati, 4 Rajmash and Walnut under organic conditions, the grower’s cooperatives and self-help groups should be organized from out of the registered growers identified by the companies and these groups be promoted, guided and linked with APEDA or any other agency for rice export so that they can get the benefit of higher price. Till this arrangement is established at the base level, the companies dealing in the export of rice be directed to provide at least 25% incentive for paddy procurement over and above the prevalent market rate. The technology communication in Agriculture sector is required to be started from the village level and it was proposed that since each Agriculture circle is having homogeneous soil and climate conditions therefore the SKUAST Jammu/Srinagar can suggest suitable crop rotations based on available technology for adoption. In the beginning demonstrations of recommended rotation need to be organized and village training camps held so that maximum farmers get benefited. The package of practices issued by SKUAST Jammu/Srinagar from time to time need to be made available at the level of common farmer. Agriculture Inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides etc should be included in the J&K Public Service Guarantee Act for Agriculture and allied departments so that accountability and time bound issuance of agriculture inputs to the farmers are ensured. The weather fluctuations are natural and very common which creates problems for seed supply in early or late sowings. It was suggested that a seed bank be established to deal with such situation and stocks are procured and stored accordingly. Seed village concept should be made compulsory for the multiplication of seeds of self-pollinated crops for the approved varieties and farmers provided proper incentives. Similar efforts are required to be made for increasing availability of quality vegetable, fodder, oil seeds and other seeds. 5 In case of fertilizers there is imbalance in use of NPK (nitrogen, Phosphors and potash). To improve the situation, the State may switch over on large scale for popularization of NPK complex fertilizers like 12:32:16. Efforts have also to be made to popularize the use of bio fertilizers, zinc sulphate etc. The agricultural machinery is getting popular with the present efforts under different schemes and has resulted in the increase in demand for items like seed drill (tractor driven), reapers, paddy transplanters, power tillers, thrashers etc. The present subsidy component available under different CSSs is insufficient. Keeping in view the local conditions and small holding of our farmers, the subsidy component is required to be increased substantially. 2. An innovative Agriculture Policy is need of the hour at a situation where the State is grappling with managing employment opportunities for the rural youth who are getting disillusioned with farming as a profession. The land holdings are shrinking gradually because of explosion in population. The Agriculture Policy need to keep all these factors in view before it is made public. The State is having different agro climatic zones and best possible exploitation of its available land resources has to be the theme of its policy where full protection to the soils & generating maximum per unit production output is ensured.