 Early Times Report
Udhampur, Feb 3: NABARD launched Area Development Scheme on Dairy in Udhampur District today in a programme held in the distirct. The programme to launch the Scheme was organized by Manohar Lal, DDM, NABARD, Udhampur. The Scheme was released by Vineeta Singh, DGM, NABARD, J&K, Regional Office, Jammu. The programme was attended by V.K. Verma, LDM, Udhampur, Ankur Sharma, representative from Zonal Office, J&K Bank, Udhampur, K.L. Gupta, Chief Animal Husbandry Offier, BDO, Udhampur, banks and various line departments.
While outlining the Scheme, Vineeta said that capital formation in agriculture sector is taking place at a very low rate and is affecting the growth of the economy. To this end, she said, NABARD has taken an initiative to prepare and launch various Area Development Schemes throughout the country. The Scheme aims at promoting activities in the agriculture and allied sector to increase term loans in order to facilitate capital formation in the agriculture sector which would sustain the income levels of the farmers. DDM, NABARD highlighted the objectives of the scheme which included enhancing production and marketing of clean milk, capacity building of farmers for undertaking dairy farming as commercial activity, to increase income of dairy farmers through value addition, increasing the average cattle farm size with the farmers so as to reduce cost on material inputs, increasing employment opportunities for the rural unemployed youth.
DDM, NABARD said that Dairy activity has been chosen in Udhampur district keeping in view the scope of the activity. He said that there is huge demand for the fresh milk due to presence of Northern Command of the Indian Army and also sizeable presence of Indian Air Force. He urged the banks to take dairy farming on a priority basis to serve the above objectives of the scheme. He also said that financing under this activity would lead to permanent income of the farmers throughout the year. Dairying, as a subsidiary source of income, provides much needed relief to most of the weaker groups in society. Animal Husbandry plays a vital role in providing household nutritional security, increased income and employment especially of women in rural area. He said that supply of fresh milk in the district is deficient by 25%-30% which provides good potential for this activity for bank finance in the district. He assured full cooperation in implementation of the scheme and also in providing extension services. |
