Economic development of J&K – Apples worth Rs 70.45 crore procured directly from growers

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi  : As reported by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the agriculture operations are going on smoothly in the valley. During FY 2019-20 (up to January, 2020), 18.34 lakh MTs of fresh fruit (apples) have been dispatched.

In the horticulture sector, under the Market Intervention Schemes (MIS) launched by the Government of India in September 2019, for the first time, 15,769.38 MTs of apples valued at Rs 70.45 crore have been procured up to January 28, 2020, directly from the growers in Kashmir valley through National Agriculture Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). This scheme has been extended up to March 31, 2020.

The sericulture sector recorded a production of 813 MTs of silk cocoon in the year 2019. During the 1st three quarters of FY 2019-20, handicrafts worth Rs 688.26 crore were exported. Various tourism promotional campaigns have also been launched.

Government of Jammu and Kashmir has informed that as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, last conducted for FY 2017-18 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation of Government of India, the worker-population ratio for persons in the age group of 15 years and above for Jammu and Kashmir is 51%.

The Government of India is fully committed to the overall development of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package-2015 of Rs 80,068 crore, major development projects in Road, Power, Health, Tourism, Agriculture, Horticulture, Skill Development Sectors etc. are already under various stages of implementation. Many flagship schemes including the individual beneficiary centric schemes are being proactively implemented by the Government of India towards development of J&K region.

Full economic potential of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions could not be realised for the last 70 years as the people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered from terrorist violence and separatism supported from across the border for the past many decades. On account of article 35A and certain other constitutional ambiguities, the people of this region were denied full rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and other benefits of various Central Laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country, according to a PIB release.