Early Times Report
KATHUA, July 14: On July 14, 2023, a plantation drive was initiated by . Ram Savak, JKAS, Director Horticulture Jammu, at three different locations in Kathua district. The villages of Gurha Maradian in Hira Nagar block, Bagial in Barnoti block, and Janglote in Kathua block witnessed the planting of mango and litchi saplings, covering a total area of 20 kanals (approximately 1 acre) at each location. The plantation drive falls under the CAPEX High-Density Plantation scheme, with a target of planting 400 plants per hectare.
In addition to farmers, the Chief Horticulture Officer Kathua, Sushil Kumar Angurana, District Horticulture Officer Kathua, Varinder Sharma, Deputy Live Stock Manager Soil Testing Lab, Bharat Bushan Gupta, Deputy Live Stock Manager Soil Testing Lab, Ragunath Upadhya, and Vishal Magotra (In-charge Horticulture Zones Hira Nagar & Kathua) were present during the plantation drive. Anju Bala, Horticulture Development Officer Barnoti, also participated in the initiative.
Director Ram Savak interacted with the farmers at each location, providing them with insights into the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), which offers incentives and assistance for the welfare of the farming community. He discussed the key components of the programme, including DAKSH, a Learning Management System for skill development, and SATHI, a dashboard for online applications to various government schemes. He urged farmers to adopt horticulture on a commercial scale by embracing the latest technologies in mechanization, modified high-density plantation, strawberry plantation, aloe vera cultivation, and more.
Chief Horticulture Officer Kathua also encouraged farmers to pursue horticulture as a commercial venture. He provided information about the online Jan Sugum portal and Kissan Sathi portal, which facilitate applications for various horticulture schemes.
The plantation drive led by Director Horticulture Jammu aims to promote horticulture activities and enhance the income of farmers in Kathua district. It serves as a reminder of the importance of sustainable agriculture practices and the adoption of modern techniques to optimize productivity and profitability in the horticulture sector. |
