Srinagar, Sept 09 (KNS): Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar along with Kailash Choudary and Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Ministers of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Thursday visited Centre of Excellence for Temperate Fruits, Zawoora Srinagar and took stock of the various infrastructure and facilities being established. 

In a statement, issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), a spokesperson said that the CoE is being established at an estimated cost of Rs. 9.24 Crore and shall have facilities for production of high-quality fruit plants and serve as demonstration centre for micro irrigation, high-tech
greenhouse technology, Tissue culture labs, bio-control labs and shall also have weather disease forecasting station.

Farooq Ahmad Khan, Advisor to Lt. Governor, J&K, Vivek Agarwal Additional Secretary (FW, Seeds, AIF, PDC, Cooperation, IMC Coordination Work, PM-KISAN), Rajbir Singh, Joint Secretary MIDH, Shr. S.K. Chadha, Managing Director, NAFED, Navin Kumar Choudhary, IAS Principal Secretary to Government, Horticulture Department, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat KAS, Director General
who is also Mission Director, MIDH along with other Officers of the Department were also present on the occasion.

On the occasion, the Minister outlined various initiatives taken by the Central Government to facilitate the farming community and extending handholding to the farmers through different government schemes with a prime objective of increasing their income so that they can lead a prosperous life. The Hon’ble Minister assured the farmers that the demand for inclusion of High-Density Plantation Programme in Agriculture Infrastructure fund shall be considered sympathetically.

During interaction with farmers and other stakeholders who projected various demands, Hon’ble Minister gave a patient hearing and assured to take a sympathetic view of the issues raised by them.

Ajaz Ahmad Bhat KAS, Director General, Horticulture Kashmir presented the Vote of Thanks. (KNS)