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| Horticulture officers in Jammu get fat salaries for no work | | Rs 4 cr spend on salaries, output negligible | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 26: Due to official apathy and mismanagement in the Directorate of Horticulture Jammu, the horticulture industry is not at all developing to the expectations of the people.
The funds meant for development of horticulture in Jammu are either lapsed or do not get utilized properly. In most of the hilly districts local farmers allege that officers of the Horticulture department are not seen on the ground, which is raising question mark on the functioning of this department. In some areas, where farmers have developed orchards, they are not supported by the department.
Details available with Early Times reveal that most of the hill districts of Jammu, like their counterparts in Kashmir valley, are yet to show better results in horticulture sector. The department officials, according to farmers in Kishtwar, Ramban, Doda and Reasi, are not providing adequate assistance to farmers so that they would excel in the horticulture sector. Farmers allege that walnut industry could have been developed on scientific lines in Chenab and Pirpanjal regions of Jammu division, but inspite of several advancements in this sector the officers of the department hardly meet farmers and organize capacity building workshops for them.
The new type of plants available in Kashmir valley are not made available to farmers in Jammu. In Jammu plains the mango growers allege that mango cultivation is not taken up on commercial lines. Many farmers allege that vague assessments were made by the department of horticulture during land acquisition process for Jammu Ring Road.
While talking to Early Times a farmer from Prithipur village in Jammu district, Sarat Chander Dubey, said that he owns a huge mango orchard that was developed by his late father Captain Bhola Nath Dubey in 1935. Several mango trees aged more than 80 years are to be axed for construction of Ring Road.
"Government is acquiring my 35 kanals of horticulture land for the Ring Road project. My 40 fully grown mango trees (80 to 85 years old) will also be axed by authorities along with around 20 trees of Sheesham, Jamun, Mulberry and Litchi. I was surprised to learn that Horticulture department has prepared a vague estimate of Rs 4 lakh only for such a huge property which otherwise should have been paid not less than 70 lakhs. In past I never got any support from Horticulture department and instead they have destroyed my property by making 10 to 15 times less assessment. I fail to understand what these officers are doing in Jammu towards the development of horticulture," questioned Sarat Dubey.
Rs 2 crore were surrendered by the Directorate of Horticulture Jammu during last three financial years. In the financial year 2014-2015 27.88 lakhs were surrendered by Horticulture Department Jammu. In 2015-2016 43.87 lakhs were surrendered by the same directorate to government as the funds could not be utilized. In the financial year 2016-2017 an amount of 127.94 lakhs were surrendered.
When the reasons for these lapses were sought under RTI two years back, cash crunch in treasuries and release of funds at the fag end of the year was cited as the reasons. A senior officer in the Directorate of Horticulture blamed the official policy of government for these lapses.
If hilly areas in Kashmir can be developed into high quality apple orchards, why can't areas like Ramban, Reasi, Kishtwar and Doda be explored for walnut, apricot and nakh farming?
Sources say that government spends more than Rs 4 crore every month on the salary of officials of Horticulture Department in Jammu region alone, but the output of these officers is very much discouraging and most of the officers hardly move out of offices and the field staff hardly visit farmers.
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