A new report shows that there are major changes in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 abrogation, reviews the progress madeon core challenges and resulting incentives.
Srinigar. It has been two years since August 5, 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government revoked Article 370 and 35(A).
The immediate results were adoption and application of the Indian Constitution and all the 890 crucial Central laws in Jammu and Kashmir including progressive laws such as the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1954, the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014, the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2007, the National Commission for Minorities Act, and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
On top of this, the facts and figures are stark enough to reveal that the situation on all fronts - political, economic and security - in the valley is better than it has ever been in its history.
Less violence and more progress is what continues to be a hopeful sign for the Union Territory's future. A new report shows that there are major changes in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 abrogation, reviews the progress madeon core challenges and resulting incentives.
Economic Initiatives
On March 17, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled Rs 1,08,621 crore budget of Jammu and Kashmir of which Rs. 39,817 crore were earmarked for capital expenditure and Rs 68,804 crore for revenue expenditure.
This means 37 per cent of the earmarked budget is to be spent on development and infrastructure projects.
For the first time, the government earmarked development funds for District Development Councils (DDCs) and Block Development Councils (BDCs).
According to the budget document, Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for DDCs and each DDC will get Rs 10 crore each in 2021-22. Similarly, Rs 71.25 crore have been proposed as ‘development fund’ for 285 block development councils. This means each BDC will get Rs 25 lakh for development purposes.
The government also proposed to spend Rs 30 crore forestablishment of DDCs/BDCs offices in 2021-22. Around Rs 1313 crore have been provisioned for PRIs/ULBs for rural and urban infrastructure,the documents reveal.
In January 2021, in an important step towards thepromotion of Horticulture produce of Jammu & Kashmir and to take it to the global market, the J&K Government signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in the country.
The MoU with NAFED will be a game changer for the Horticulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir as the High Density plantation of Apple, Walnut, Cherry, Flowers etc has potential to increase the income of farmers by 3 to 4 times. NAFED will cover 5500 hectares at a cost of Rs.1700 Crore in the next five years withmajor focus on Apple, Walnut, Cherry, Pear and other significant horticulture produce.
NAFED will also set up 20 farmer-producer organizations, one in each district, in the next three months.
As part of the agreement, NAFED will invest INR 1700Crores for Implementing High Density Plantations across 5500 Hectares in the next 5 years (2021-25).
High Density Plantations of Apple, Walnut, Cherry, pear flowers are expected to increase the income of farmers by up to three-four times. High Density Plantations of Apples will be implemented at Kishtwar and Bhaderwah.
Equally NAFED will establish 20 Farmer-Producer Organization,one in each district and it will in addition construct 3 cold storage clusters – one each in north Kashmir, south Kashmir & Kathua at a cost of INR 500Crores.
For the purpose of Branding and marketing, NAFED will ensure Geographical Indications Tags (GI Tags) for fruit crops like Apple, Walnut, Cherry, Olive, Litchi.
Post-Harvest Infrastructure
Both entities will also ramp up the post-harvest infrastructure in the state for agriculture by building Cold Atmosphere Stores, Grading & Processing facilities. Nurseries for root stock: Hi-tech nurseries for raising root stock will be developed and they will be imported directly to the farmers.
On May 31, theJammu and Kashmir government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a private airline for the transportation of perishable horticulture and agricultural produce to various destinations across the country.
The MoU between the Horticulture Department and Go-Air was signed in the presence of Principal Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Horticulture departments, Navin KumarChoudhary. Terming the step as significant, the principal secretarysaid that the move will empower the fruit growers of Jammu and Kashmirand will increase their income as well as boost the rural economy.
He added it will also address the transportation hiccupsfor the horticulture produce especially the highly perishableitems like Cherry, Plum, Apricots etc.
Last month (July 6) in a significant development, the government of Jammu and Kashmir initiated the export of Mishri Cherry from Srinagar to Dubai for the first time.
The first consignment of cherry was flagged off through virtual mode by Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary, and Chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
“Export of such highly perishable fruit from the UTto the international market is like a dream come true andthis has become possible due to APEDA which facilitated shipment of this Mishri variety of cherry by Desai Agri Food Private Limited, a venture company of MS Innoterra Dubai,” the Principal Secretary said.
