SRINAGAR: Emphasising that grievance redressal should be the top priority of the officers, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department (APD), Atal Dulloo today directed the officers of APD to provide robust extension services to the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir.
He passed on these directions while chairing two separate meetings to discuss the progress on district wise extension plans of Kashmir and Jammu divisions.
The meetings to discuss the district wise extension plans of Kashmir/Jammu divisions were attended by Secretary in Agriculture Production Department, Director General Planning, Agriculture Production Department, Director General, Command Area Development, Kashmir/Jammu along with all District officers, Director General, Planning, AP&FW Department, Director Finance, AP&FW Department, Director Sericulture, J&K, MD, KAIDOL, Director Agriculture, Kashmir/Jammu along with all District Officers.
While chairing the meetings, Atal Dulloo said that grievance redressal of farmers should be the top priority of the officers and extension workers must be actively taking their roles in this regard. He directed the Chief Agriculture Officers to ensure that extension workers are active in the field and are taking grievances of farmers seriously. He said that the workers should go to farmers and meet them regularly and provide prompt solutions to their grievances.
Atal Dulloo directed the officers to visit the fields and see prevalence of any unscientific agriculture practice and encourage farmers to adopt modern techniques in the scientific manner. He said that farmers should be made aware of the modern agriculture practices which increases agricultural output. He said that sustainable agricultural operations and farming practices should be promoted among the farmers which yields positive impacts on the environment, animals, and people.
Atal Dulloo further directed the officers for technology dissemination among farmers and said that improving agricultural productivity depends on technology uptake and utilization. He also said that all these steps should be taken with the intention to provide timely information to farmers on smarter techniques and practices and ensure availability of fertilizers and chemicals.
He also said that farming community should be made aware of the different schemes like CSS, Capex, PM Kisan, Central Sector Schemes launched by the government and it must be ensured that the farmers are taking benefits out of these schemes. He also directed them to include the eligible farmers in the PM Kisan who have been left behind.
While discussing the progress of district wise extension plans of Kashmir and Jammu divisions of Sericulture sector, Atal Dulloo directed the officers from Jammu and Kashmir divisions to involve more and more people in this sector and encourage them to take this as a supplementary source of income. He asked them to involve tribals, Self Help Groups under convergence plan to increase the income of the farmers.
Atal Dulloo also directed the Director Agriculture Kashmir/Jammu to make high quality videos to meet the challenges of disseminating information to farmers and reaching the poor, marginalised, women, and young people. The videos should include raising awareness, introducing different crop varieties and technologies, stimulating demand for support, farmer-to-farmer extension, training on agricultural innovations, stimulating creativity, and as a tool for documenting and monitoring and evaluation. He also said that phone in programmes shall be organised weekly where grievances and FAQs of farmers shall be addressed.
Earlier Director Agriculture Kashmir/Jammu gave a presentation of their respective divisions about the progress on district wise extension plans. They briefed the ACS about the training programmes that are being organised for the farmers and said that requisite steps are in place for implementation of State Extension Works Plan. They also said that incentives are being given to progressive farmers besides holding of demonstration and farmer – scientist interactions.