The soil testing laboratories of the agriculture and horticulture departments will now operate in an integrated manner. As a result of this, farmers will be able to procure soil health cards from any of the 15 such laboratories across the State. Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat issued this direction at an agriculture department workshop on ‘doubling the income of farmers’ at the secretariat here on Friday.
The chief minister directed that the system of the horticulture and agriculture departments separately issuing soil health cards should be discontinued. The soil testing laboratories of the two departments will now function in an integrated manner so farmers will be able to get soil health cards from either the horticulture or agriculture department. Presently, the agriculture has one soil testing lab in each of the 13 districts of Uttarakhand while horticulture department has on such lab each in Garhwal and Kumaon regions.
Appreciating the workshop aimed at the double of farmers’ incomes, Rawat such that within a fixed time frame, such meets should also be held at the district, block and Nyay Panchayat levels. He said, “Officials of the agriculture and horticulture departments should hold meetings with farmers every month. Officers should reach the farms and farmers,” he stressed.
The chief Minister said that the role of universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendra is important in encouraging new techniques.
Rawat further said that 10 development blocks in the state had been marked for organic farming. Stating that the traditional method currently used for making manure is time consuming, he said that farmers should be encouraged to adopt new techniques and processes. The agriculture universities and research centres in the state should come forward for this purpose. He said, “Work will have to be undertaken with missionary zeal on a concrete action plan for doubling the income of farmers, strengthening their financial condition and to boost rural economy. Simply drafting schemes is not enough. It is also vital to inform the people about the schemes and provide them assistance,” he added.
Earlier, agriculture secretary D Senthil Pandiyan informed that sector-wise
expert committees had been formed and an initial roadmap was being prepared. The State Agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal and GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology vice chancellor AK Mishra were also among those present in the inaugural session of the workshop.