Handwara, September 19 (KNS): Cabinet Minister Javid Ahmad Dar on Saturday said there was nothing unusual about the upcoming Assembly session, describing it as a routine exercise meant for legislators.

Dar was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Handwara where he interacted with horticulture stakeholders and heard their demands.

Asked about the Assembly session, Dar said, “There is nothing unusual about it. Assembly sessions are routine and meant for legislators.”

On horticulture-related demands, Dar assured stakeholders that the government would make efforts to address their genuine concerns.

“I came here and talked to them and heard their demands. We will try to meet all their genuine demands,” he said.

On the disease affecting horticulture, Dar said the Department of Horticulture and the university were working to control the local strain.

“Our university is continuously working on this. We are trying to control this disease,” he said, adding that such diseases had been observed across the horticulture sector.

Dar said horticulture schemes were available online and advised stakeholders to apply through the online system and avail the benefits.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe also said the government would look into issues related to the digital survey and Revenue Department.

On Lavender Park, Dar said it falls under the Agriculture Department, while biotechnology-related work was being undertaken by the university, expressing hope that the initiative would be completed.

Regarding the Marketing Intervention Scheme (MIS), Dar said the scheme had not yet been introduced in the region.

He said the government had initially proposed a weather-based crop insurance scheme for farmers and included it in the 2026-27 budget provisions. However, national-level insurance guidelines subsequently changed and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare constituted an advisory committee, which has submitted its report to the ministry.

“We are confident that the new guidelines will come by the end of this month. When the new guidelines come, the role of the government will be of tendering and processing. After that, we will make the insurance arrangements,” Dar said.

On KKG centres, the minister said the centres were operational and equipped with the required machinery.(KNS)