Jammu, Sep 20: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday said that Jammu and Kashmir is on the right track towards matching up the country’s pace towards reforms in the agriculture sector as the administration has repealed all the obsolete and farmer community centric discriminatory laws in the last three years.
As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), highlighting the reforms introduced in 2020, the LG said that SKUAST-Jammu is equipped to meet modern workforce requirements in Agriculture and Allied Sectors, to contribute in entrepreneurship-driven research and to develop a strong inter-disciplinary ecosystem.
The LG was addressing the 25th Foundation Day celebration of SKUAST-Jammu at Baba Jitto Auditorium, R S Pura. He maintained certain land laws which were discriminatory against farmers especially in Jammu have been changed and now there is no discrimination between Jammu and Kashmir regions. He further added that if the administration notices any anti-farmer rule or law, it will amend the rulebook for the welfare of farmers.
The Lt Governor impressed upon the Agriculture scientists and Universities to adopt a whole-farm approach and work on new technology and farm innovation to create a competitive advantage for J&K and the country to build a sustainable future for the world. G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration has made it clear that climate-resilient crops, accelerated innovations and investment to increase productivity, reducing waste will be the top priority for food security and bringing transformation in the lives of farmers, the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor encouraged young scientists to look for new opportunities, new interventions and inventions for sustained growth of ecological capital, maintain harmony between the market and the soil and ensure that the agriculture sector continues to serve as a strong base for our development.
The Lt Governor also highlighted the endeavours of the UT Administration for creating better market linkage to the farmers and promoting diversification, allied activities and high-density farming.
“70 percent of J&K’s population is dependent on agriculture and allied sectors. Our dedicated focus on training, access to extension services, financing and marketing institutions are benefiting the farming community. It is being ensured that the financing benefits reach the farmers and the youth and women engaged with the sector,” he added.
The Lt Governor emphasised on assessing the progress achieved in programmes like Kisan Sampark Abhiyan, identifying the gaps and taking corrective measures in this regard. It should be ensured that more farmers are registered on the Daksh portal, he added.
Earlier, Lieutenant Governor congratulated the Dr. B N Tripathi, Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu faculty members and students on the achievements of institution in Agricultural Development Program and transforming agriculture sector—(KNO)
