Sir,
This refers to the article by Dr Banarsi Lal and Dr Pawan Sharma titled ” Strategy to empower villages ” [Daily Excelsior 18.12.2018]. The authors have said that agriculture happens to be the largest sector of Indian economy, but the wrong policies of our Government are creating disaster for the farming community especially by allowing mega developmental projects on farmlands. J&K state is also suffering on this front as lot of land has been converted into highways and in return the effected farmers get nothing. Daily Excelsior is regularly highlighting this issue through its opeds and editorials and I appreciate this endeavor.
Govt officials in Horticulture and Agriculture Departments are least bothered to implement schemes like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY). They are least bothered to impress upon farmers to opt for organic farming but instead more and more licenses are issued to pesticide dealers by the officials of these departments.
State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) had plans to start traditional Backyard Poultry by involving its women Self Help Groups (SHGs) in several blocks of J&K. This project is yet to be operationalized. Govt of India has already provided funds for this project almost a year back. Waste Management projects in rural areas of the State under SBM Grameen are also not being taken up. This would lead to processing of organic waste into compost, bio fertilizer and bio gas.
All these Govt sponsored projects would have empowered our rural communities but the in-efficiency of our Government officials plus corruption is the biggest hurdle for rural masses. I appeal to the Chief Secretary to take the officials to task who have failed to implement aforementioned schemes in Agriculture , Horticulture and Rural Development Departments.
Mushtaq Ahmad
Research Scholar
Agri Economy, Srinagar
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