NABARD, agriculture department to unveil Rs 25,991 crore package to boost farmers’ incomes

SRINAGAR, JULY 12: The Department of Agriculture and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have jointly planned a Rs 25,991 crore development program to improve agricultural inputs and farmers’ incomes.

The overall plan is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of doubling farmers’ incomes. J&K Govt focuses on developing the rural economy to unlock its full potential by filling gaps in infrastructure, human resources and financing.
At J&K, NABARD has been a key driver of the rural economy by addressing basic infrastructure needs under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, under which 4,178 projects have been completed over the past 26 years for a cost of Rs 8457 crores, focusing mainly on irrigation and rural connectivity.
Notably, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has Rs. 34,829 crore potential linked credit scheme for J&K UT which aims to meet the aspirations of the rural population, bridge the gaps in rural infrastructure and strengthen cooperative credit systems to transform the agricultural economy.
The credit scheme was announced during the ‘UT Credit and Development Seminar’ organized by NABARD in Jammu for the presentation of the ‘UT Focus Paper 2022-23’ for J&K, covering physical and financial potential under agriculture and related activities and other priority sectors, including off-farm activities in UT.
At J&K, 36 farmers’ organizations have been trained by NABARD, benefiting about 6,000 farmers. Another 26 such organizations are formed this fiscal year, advancing the development of a strong foundation of modern agriculture and horticulture in UT.
Jammu and Kashmir has reached first place nationwide with yield of 70 quintals per hectare of paddy besides reaching saturation in Kissan Credit Cards, Soil Health Cards and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
“Among all the states/UTs, Jammu and Kashmir is the 3rd earner in monthly farm household income and the 5th best performing UT in agriculture and related sectors,” the official data reveals.
The J&K Government is working on a vision to look beyond subsistence farming by taking advantage of the special agro-climatic conditions of the Union Territory to ensure high returns for farmers through transformative and inclusive sustainable and inclusive agricultural interventions. modern. The mission of the J&K Administration is to ensure a comprehensive transformation of the lives and prospects of UT farmers from subsistence agriculture to modern, vibrant, high-yield agriculture by the end of the year. year 2023.
The government has also launched several marketing initiatives to make J&K’s agricultural sector more viable. GI labeling for saffron and guchi (wild mushroom) from Doda has given remarkable progress to the famous Kashmir saffron in the international market as well as guchi mushroom.
In addition, the organic certification of Basmati rice from RS Pura has also increased the commercial value of the rice.
To give more impetus to the agricultural sector here, the agriculture department has also decided to collaborate with Amazon Fresh which has shown keen interest in the assortment of fruits and vegetables available in Jammu with the aim of expanding its network. in northern India. Jammu is also going to have a collection/supply center next year.
To provide a market for Kashmiri saffron, the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has decided to sell Kashmiri saffron at all its outlets across the country, providing another option for farmers to sell their products at attractive prices.