Cultivation of fallow land along Hiranagar Border on the anvil  

• DC discusses Action Plan with stakeholder departments, BSF authorities

KATHUA: A high-level meeting was convened today under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Dr. Rakesh Minhas here in his office chamber to discuss the action plan for encouraging cultivation on unfarmed land along the International Border in Hiranagar sector. The meeting was attended by CPO Ranjit Thakur; Chief Agriculture Officer Sanjeev Rai; Tehsildar Marheen, Lekh Raj and the officials from the Border Security Force (BSF).

The discussions focused on utilizing large tracts of uncultivated land near the border. It was decided that the BSF and District Administration would extend technical assistance and provide necessary support to enable farmers to cultivate suitable crops in the area. To ensure seamless agricultural activities, Tehsildar Marheen has been assigned the responsibility of formulating a practical schedule for the smooth and hassle-free movement of farmers who have land across the fence near the zero line.

Emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate crops, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Rakesh Minhas stressed the need for options that would be beneficial to farmers while ensuring that BSF’s operational requirements remain uncompromised. He also directed the Chief Agriculture Officer to engage all beneficiary farmers in the process to make the initiative inclusive and effective.

The BSF authorities assured full cooperation in facilitating the cultivation process so that farmers can reap the benefits of their land, which has remained vacant for years. Pertinently, the District Administration, with the support of the BSF, has already taken significant steps to revive agricultural activities in border areas, contributing to economic upliftment and food security for the farming community.