Govt laying special focus on agri, allied sectors: Speaker

Speaker Legislative Assembly Dr Nirmal Singh and others at Kissan Mela on Thursday.
Speaker Legislative Assembly Dr Nirmal Singh and others at Kissan Mela on Thursday.

Mega Kissan Mela organized at Billawar
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Feb 28: Kissan Advisory Board in collaboration with Agriculture Department today organised a one day mega Kissan Mela at Ramkote, Billawar.
Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Dr. Nirmal Singh was the chief guest on the occasion.
Farmers from various parts of the district participated in the Kissan Mela who were acquainted with latest agriculture techniques.
Maintaining that the Government is laying special focus on Agriculture and allied sectors, Dr. Singh said that several Central and State Sponsored Schemes including Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) and Kissan Credit Card (KCC) have been introduced to increase agricultural yield in the State.
Earlier, Speaker, laid foundation stone for construction of college at Ramkote which is being raised with a total cost of Rs. 15.88 crore. He informed that the Government has sanctioned another college at Katli for the students of Lohai Malhar, Baggan, Marhoon and other far flung and hilly areas.
Scientists from KVK Kathua and officers from Department of Agriculture educated the participating farmers about modern techniques to be adopted in Apiculture, Mushroom Cultivation, Kitchen gardening and backyard poultry rearing. They were also given knowledge of different Centrally Sponsored Schemes in vogue in agriculture sector and different incentives available under these schemes.
On the occasion, Secretary Kissan Board, Abdul Hamid Wani deliberated upon the agriculture scenario of the District and appealed all the participating farmers to come forward and avail the technical knowhow which is being provided to them by the department through qualified agriculture technocrats.
During the Mela, about 65 stalls by various departments were established to promote their schemes. Besides, the progressive farmers and agri-enterprenuers also put up their stalls during the mela. The agriculture stall exhibited modern machinery, latest equipments and implements, Pesticides of Various Brands, high quality hybrid seeds, improved varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Chief Agriculture Officer on the occasion gave a detailed presentation with regard to the incentives being provided to farmers by the department.
MD JK State Agro Industries Development Corp., Bhawani Rakwal, ADDC, Shubra Sharma, ADC Billawar, Joginder Singh Rai, Joint Director(Agri), Anil Arora, CAO, Arun Gupta, DAO(Extn), Sanjeev Rai Gupta, Engineers and other officers of various departments were present on the occasion.