JAMMU: Dr. Narinder Singh, MLA RS Pura-Jammu South and BJP National Secretary, today, highlighted the importance of Agriculture and related economic benefits, while promoting the promotion of Agriculture, and Horticulture with quality control in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Dr. Narinder Singh said that agriculture is a broader term which embraces many different aspects like fisheries, crops, plants, animals etc, broadly the things which are used, utilized and nurtured by humans for food.
He also pointed out that the MSME and agriculture sectors have provided the maximum employment throughout the nation. He said that there is 30% irrigated land area in Jammu. The canal from Ravi should be sped up and it will change the ‘Kandi’ area into irrigate land, he said.
In Kashmir, around 70% area is irrigated, he said and added that the PM has initiated many projects to increase employment. 11 lakh crore rupees subsidy on fertilizers, 3.5 lakh rupees directly into the accounts of people. Budget was increased from 25000 crore in 2014 to the 1,27,00 Crore rupees now. The PM is of the view that as this sector generates maximum employment, the income in this group should also be increased.
Dr. Singh mentioned that during Covid-19 period, the economy of our nation increased due to the farming sector. HADP, FAD and many other schemes are initiated to benefit the farmers, but we are lacking a roadmap. He said that those farming mushrooms have to pay commercial rates, electricity fares for agriculture pumps should be waved off, reduced and taken towards solar energy.
Dr. Narinder Singh advocated for contract farming, which gives extensive benefit to the farmer. He also called for optimal utilization of different climatic zones. Mission Basmati should be started on the line of Saffron. Value addition on crops should be promoted. Quality of crops should be increased with optimal and timely use of pesticides and harvest time to increase exports. He also asked for the increase of agro-tourism.
Dr. Narinder Singh stressed that the government has to take steps to utilize and optimize the failed cooperative system and that land and system should be used to enhance farming. He called for the Tax rebate for the farming equipment and waivers in the road transport department to the farming vehicles. He called for implementing the agro-forestry model on the likes of Assam to boost economic gains.
He also demanded rights and benefits to the farmers whose land has been stuck beyond the fencing. He asked for the settlement of the KVK salary issue. He cautioned that the crops are shifting their natural areas due to the climatic change. He called for improvisation to improve crop diversification, natural farming, Fasal Beema Yojana etc. to tackle the issue.
