*Releases NABARD’s State Focus Paper
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 14: Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari chaired maiden review meeting of the Finance Department after taking over the charge of Finance Ministry, here last evening.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister took detailed review of functioning of the department, including status of spending in core sectors, interventions introduced to bring in fiscal discipline besides matters concerning judicious use of public exchequer in infrastructure development through different Government departments and agencies.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Finance, Naveen K Choudhary, DG Accounts and Treasuries, Mohammad Ishaq Wani and other key functionaries of the department.
Click here to watch video
The Minister stressed on maintaining close coordination among different wings for smooth functioning of the department, which he described as the corner stone of the Government.
“Finance Department and its functionaries hold the key in ensuring that the public resources are utilized in most judicious manner. My stress will be on close monitoring, effective and simultaneous implementation of reforms at all levels” the Minister asserted.
Earlier, Principal Secretary Finance, Naveen K Choudhary gave a detailed resume of the working of the department. He apprised the Minister about the fund availability and achievements registered in the current financial year.
Meanwhile, Altaf Bukhari asked the financial institutions to extend active handholding to agriculture and allied sectors especially horticulture sector as it forms the backbone of the State’s economy.
Addressing the delegates at a seminar hosted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to mark release of its State Focus Paper- 2018-19, the Minister asked the financial institutions and concerned departments to work in close coordination to overcome the challenges of farm sector, particularly the greater need being felt for micro financing to support marginal and small farmers.
In its ‘State Focus Paper’, NABARD has prepared potential Linked Credit Plans (PLPs) for all the 22 districts of the State mapping physical potential along with credit assessment under developmental sectors with main focus on creation of infrastructure facilities, trends in sector wise credit flow, schemes of State and Centre. The theme of the 2018-19 State Focus Paper NABRAD is ‘Water conservation- per drop more crop’- one of the important components of ‘Doubling of Farmers’ Income by 2022″.
Taking cue from the farm sector issues of J&K as highlighted in the Focus Paper, the Minister underlined the need for laying full focus on State Government’s high-density plantation plan to bring about five time increase in the horticulture production, besides other agriculture and allied sector schemes.
“The major issue raised in the focus paper is far less than the national average farmers’ landholding in Jammu Kashmir, which can be addressed only by increasing production”, Altaf Bukhari said and asked the banks to meet the credit potential in the farm sector projected by NABARD.
Earlier, Chief General Manager, NABARD Vijay Kumar gave a detailed resume of national rural bank’s activities in Jammu and Kashmir in area development, agriculture and its allied sectors.
Principal Secretary Finance, Naveen K Choudhary, Secretary Animal Husbandry, Raj Kumar Bhagat, Secretary Horticulture, Manzoor Ahmed Lone, Vice President JKB Rakesh Gandotra, State Government officials, representatives of banks, NGOs and farmers organizations were also present at the event.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
