Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 15: In a bid to promote commercial floriculture in the State, Minister for Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma dedicated first of its kind exclusive flower mandi to the farmers, here today. The mandi has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.22 crore under Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Yojana (RKVY), a Central Government’s flagship programme.
Minister of State for Home and Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani, Director Floriculture, Kashmir Sunil Misri, Managing Director, JKHPMC, Syed Rafiq Ahmed, Mission Director NRHM, Dr. Yashpal Sharma, Director Family Welfare, Dr. T.K.Moza, former Directors Floriculture and large numbers of farmers associated with the floriculture were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that floriculture is one of the potential sectors which can help in boosting the State’s economy, adding that during the past four years, the Government has made tremendous progress to promote this sector and generated awareness amongst the farmers. With the best efforts of the Department a large number of farmers are attracting towards this activity and adopting commercial floriculture in a big way as their livelihood. He said constant awareness campaign by the department in every nook and corner of the State has changed the scenario and it is matter of satisfaction that farmers are liberally taking up this activity and availing the benefits of several Government schemes.
Setting up of exclusive flower market in the centrally located place viz; Rajbagh near horticulture complex is an attempt to promote the commercial floriculture activities in the Valley in a big way. The Government has tried to provide a platform for the disposal of the local production in an organized manner, the infrastructure is best in the country and developed on the pattern of flower market at Bangalore. With this facility the farmers will be able to market their products quickly and fetch good rates for different varieties of the flowers according to the market demand, said Mr. Sham.
On the occasion, the Minister announced construction of 40-room Kissan Ghar at Srinagar and a 50-room accommodation for the farmers at Delhi.
Nasir Aslam Wani hoped that with the opening of flower mandi, the farmers will be able to dispose off their products at the doorstep.
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