While reviewing physical progress and execution of the ongoing schemes running under the district agriculture and watershed management departments at a meeting in Pauri on Monday, the District Magistrate Sushil Kumar asked the agriculture department to divide each of the blocks in five groups to revamp agriculture with the objective of making them models.He was, however, annoyed over the absence of the officer of Agriculture and Horticulture University based at Bharsar from the meeting. The officer of the agriculture science center based at Bharsar was supposed to give information on the ongoing research and to provide information of the high- breed seeds during the meeting. Taking a stern note of the absence, the DM instructed the district chief agriculture officer to prepare a report and send it to the state government for action.
The DM asked the banks to sanction agricultural loans to the farmers generously to help them in making the agricultural activities profit-making ventures. He directed the officers concerned to provide the list of the farmers who have obtained the agriculture loans. He also directed the agriculture department to develop villages as models in the cultivation of pulses and Mandwa and also to boost pisciculture. With this end in view, DM asked the officers concerned to establish five groups each to every block of the district.
He further informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana, rice, Mandwa, Masur and wheat have been insured in 1201.65 hectare area at the cost of over Rs three crore in the financial year 2017-18.
DM further informed in course of the meeting that watershed management department has been working on a plan to make agriculture a profitable profession and under the plan, the farmers engaged in growing mushroom and vegetables aside from those running dairies and potteries among others are benefited.
DM instructed the departments concerned to prepare cluster base projects, saying that the district administration is laying utmost importance on the same.
Among others present at the meeting were the district chief development officer Ravneet Chima, project director S S Sharma, the district chief agriculture officer D S Rana and a lead Bank officer Nand Kishore.