POONCH: To review the achievements under different schemes and developmental activities being carried out in the district, Director Horticulture Jammu Chaman Lal Sharma conducted two day extensive tour of district Poonch. Accompanied by Anil Chhibber, MCC, the Director was welcomed by Chief Horticulture Officer Sanjeev Kumar and other officers of the department.
During the whirlwind tour, the Director visited Government Fruit Plant Nurseries located at Ari, Mendhar and Mandi Horticulture zones of the district. He inspected the mother blocks of Apple established under HADP, Hi-Tech Polygreen House, Geo tanks and other developmental activities going on in the nurseries. He stressed on optimum utilization of land in the nurseries for production of quality grafted planting material.
The Director also chaired two Mega Awareness Camps at Ari & Mendhar, wherein a large number of farmers including women participated. Addressing the gathering, he explained the benefits of different departmental schemes particularly HADP, JKCIP & Revised Modified HD Plantation scheme designed to support the Horticulture Community. He highlighted the special provisions available for unemployed youth, encouraging them to take advantage of these schemes to achieve self-reliance and economic independence.
He also addressed the concerns of the farmers and encouraged them to fully leverage the benefits of the HADP and other departmental schemes aimed at improving horticultural productivity and increasing farm income. Meanwhile, C. L Sharma handed over the keys of Farm machinery viz: Tractors, Power Tillers etc to the beneficiaries under HADP. The sanction letters of other projects were also distributed among the beneficiaries.
Later, the Director inspected several plantation projects established under Revised Modified HD Plantation scheme in the farmers’ field at Horticulture zones Mandi, Sathra and Chandak besides Protected Cultivation Structures established under different schemes of the department. He interacted with the farmers and provided them technical knowledge about cultivation of Apple as well as optimum use of these structures.
