In a bid to review the progress of the Watershed Management Department, Chief Minister Harish Rawat convened a meeting and expressed displeasure at failure of the department to execute work on the ground despite allocation of budget. He instructed the Principal Secretary, Agriculture to submit a roadmap of the project in one week and begin ground work as soon as possible.
He categorically asked the officials to do everything to execute the project on ground in public interest. He said that if watershed management programme, watershed development programme, national agriculture development scheme, horticulture mission, JICA and HIFED managed to execute the project on ground then the State could be a model for others. He also instructed them to expedite their work and keep meeting with locals for their views and support as well.
“We are being sidelined with the States that are spending lesser money in foreign aided projects, so officials concerned should take corrective measure. If we fail to utilise the money then we would not get more financial support from union government as well.
This would not be in the interest of state. Under National agriculture development schemes, we should distribute agriculture equipment at block level, promote mandua, pulse production group and provide soil health card to the farmers and start mobile soil testing lab in disaster affected districts so that farmers would get their soil check at their door step. We should also promote flower production and establish market for flower producer at Delhi,” said Rawat.
He also instructed them to start paddy seed change program at Someshwar and Chinyalisaur. To provide marketing for the agriculture produce we should also make arrangement of refrigerator vehicle in Garhwal and Kumaon region. You also dedicate one block for organic produce in each Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar district.
You also erect fencing to protect the crop and plant fodder variety tree and also make arrangement of fishery and its market in Haridwar (Manglore), Dehradun and Haldwani. He instructed the Mandi council to utilise the cess fund for the creation of basic infrastructure for agriculture and horticulture in place of constructing road.