Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 3: Minister for Horticulture, Raman Bhalla today said that Government is committed to safeguard the interests of the fruit growers of the Valley, whose apple crop has been damaged due to some unknown disease.
He said that a joint committee of scientists of SKUAST and State Horticulture Department will undertake a thorough study of the disease to the crop and submit their report within shortest possible time so that appropriate action is taken.
Simultaneously, the Department of Revenue will be asked to undertake a survey to assess the loss to the crops in the Valley at the earliest. The Government will take an appropriate decision about the compensation of loss to the farmers after studying the report, he added.
Mr Bhalla said this during a meeting with a delegation of Kashmir Fruit Growers & Dealers Association, here today.
Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, B R Sharma, Commissioner Secretary, Horticulture, Dr Asgar Samoon, Director Horticulture, Kashmir, Sonam Narboo, Managing Director, JKHPMC, Syed Rafiq Ahmed and Special Assistant to Minister, Vishal Sharma were also present in the meeting.
The Minister discussed several issues related to the problems of the fruit growers, especially the unknown disease to the apple crop, which has caused huge damage to it and remedial measures taken by the department. He also discussed about the remedies in future as a long run measures to deal with such type of problems. He also discussed in length the possibility about the introduction of crop insurance, providing quality pesticides to farmers and benefits of various centrally sponsored schemes like Marketing Intervention Scheme, which envisages purchase of C-Grade apple by the Government from the growers for use and other purposes to save the farmers.
He asked the growers not to be panicky and Government will come to their rescue and take appropriate steps to compensate them after receiving the full details from the Committee. He asked them to fully cooperate with the Committee members and officers of the department in assessing the losses and ensuring timely compensation.
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