Sham visits Narwal Mandi, reviews functioning of HP&M deptt

JAMMU: Encouraged by the unprecedented results of the introduction of professional audit in the Horticulture Department which was conferred with 2011-Horticulture award, the government is contemplating to put in place same mechanism in its other allied departments to ensure efficiency and accountability .
This was stated by the Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Mr Sham Lal Sharma while reviewing the functioning of the Horticulture (Planning and Marketing) Department during his visit to Fruit and Vegetable Narwal Mandi. The Minister also interacted with the President of Fruits and Vegetable Associations .
Maintaining that horticulture industry is the mainstay of Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister said that all out efforts will be made to make this industry to grow further and added that the sector provides significant succour to the development process and generation of employment for a large chunk of population directly and indirectly.
Mr. Sham said that attention was required to be focused both on the production of quality horticulture produce and its proper export to the terminal markets ensuring substantial returns to the fruit growers. He informed that last year production in horticulture sector touched to 22 lakhs metric tonnes and current financial year was expected to be 19 lakh metric tonnes. He hope that in 2014, the production and export of fresh and dry fruit from the state will be touched up to 40 lakh metric tonnes.
The both the association putforth various demands including shed for fruits security, sanitation, improve power and enhance transform capacity, maintenance of green belt park, dispensary, open third gate for mandi, relaxation of fee security and traffic control up to vegetable market, cold storage facilities.
The Minister assured the association and said that their genuine demands will be redressed in phase manner and he announced that additional tubewell will be constructed as soon as for the requirement of mandies. He also asked the both Associations to increase revenue collection for the betterment of Narwal mandi. He said that the Department is executing 25 fruit and vegetable markets in the state to enhance the marketing activities within the state and facilities transhipment of fruit to the terminal market.
Mr. Sham said that the production and productivity of horticulture have shown remarkable increase during last 3 years. He inform that per hectare production of apple in the state has increase to 13.5 tonnes against 9 tonnes two year back which is the highest in the country. He said attention is being paid to increase the per hectare production from present 13.5 tonnes to about 20 tonnes within next 3 year. He said that over 3.24 lakh hectares are under orchards in the state at present. He said about 30,000 new orchards have been developed during the last two years.
Among others, Director, Horticulture (Planning and Marketing), Director Horticulture, Mr. J. L. Sharma, Director Floriculture, Mr. K. K. Sharma, CMO Jammu, Health Officer JMC, Senior officers of concerned department and presidents of fruit and vegetable associations were also present on the occasion.