Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: Ahead of ensuing Kharif season, Department of Agriculture organized basmati training-cum-awareness camp at village Chohala under Chief Ministers Special Basmati Promotion Programme here today.
On the occasion, RL Bhagat, Chief Agriculture Officer, Jammu presented an overview of various components of the programme in his key note address and welcomed the dignitaries and the participating farmers.
The camp was presided over by the Vice Chairman, J&K Advisory Board for the Development of Kissans Daljit Singh Chib and inaugurated by MLA RS Pura Dr Gagan Bhagat.
Vice-Chairman listened to the problems of farmers and asked the farming community to come forward to avail the benefits and subsidies under centrally sponsored schemes and the Basmati Project under the Chief Ministers Committed Project viz-RS Pura Basmati Rice Cluster (RBRC) Project and the adjoining Suchetgarh Basmati Rice Cluster (SBRC) Project. He asked the farmers to implement the technology to produce best quality basmati rice with aroma in their fields. He said that recent establishment of mandis by the Government have facilitated in doubling the returns on paddy and the farmers can avail more enumeration and returns by bringing improvement in the quality parameters of the basmati as per international market.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Gagan Bhagat said that cluster of Chohala and adjoining villages have been selected to boost the production of quality basmati rice. He asked the farmers to come forward to avail the benefits of the programme by improving the quality parameters of the traditional RS Pura basmati. He further asked the farmers to stop the indiscriminate use of pesticides, promote vermi-composting and discourage the construction on agriculture land by adopting vertical extension of buildings.
The camp was attended by around 500 farmers of the recently launched RS Pura Basmati Rice Cluster and the implementing officers and officials of the department.
An effective training was imparted to the farmers jointly by experts from SKUAST-J and Department of Agriculture including Dr AP Singh, Senior Scientist, Dr Kamlesh Bali, Senior Scientist, Dr Rajesh Shar-ma, Senior Scientist, Matinder Singh, ADO Vegetables, Jammu and Jag Mohan Bhat, SMS.
At the conclusion of the camp National Anthem was sung by Sagar chand Sharma, AEO. The proceedings of the programme were conducted by Ashwani Yojra, AEO, while Farooq Ahmed Bhat, SDAO, RS Pura presented the vote of thank.
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