JAMMU, FEBRUARY 27 (KNO) : Saying that the State has abundant potential in floriculture, Minister for Floriculture, Javaid Mustafa Mir exhorted for sensitizing farmers and youth about its scope and benefits besides adopting floriculture as a profession to take advantage of a viable and flourishing agri-industry.
This was stated by the Minister while chairing a meeting convened to review the functioning of Floriculture Department here today. Minister of State for Floriculture, Priya Sethi was also present in the meeting. Addressing the meeting, Javaid Mustafa Mir highlighted the importance of floriculture industry, saying that it has emerged as a fast-growing business and registered tremendous growth during the past decades, extending its ambit worldwide. He asked for encouraging floriculture enterprise on commercial basis utilising modern techniques popular in the sector, adding that this cash crop can give very high returns.
The Minister while reviewing progress of parks and gardens stressed for timely completion of all works. He also directed the concerned for mobilizing men and machinery of the department at District level for supervising, monitoring the maintenance of parks besides sensitizing the youth by organizing awareness camps and workshops regarding the benefits of schemes under floriculture sector. The meeting was informed that there are 310 parks and gardens spread over thousand kanals of land which are being maintained by the Floriculture Department in Jammu Division besides 33 fountains.
It was also disclosed in the meeting that field trial of cultivation of varieties of tulips has been successfully done at Sanasar. The Minister asked the concerned to develop a new park at Bhour Camp area so as to provide an outdoor recreation facility to the peopel. Looking at the agro-climatic conditions prevailing in the State which offers excellent opportunities for development of floriculture, Mir exhorted on developing floriculture on such a pattern that it can serve the internal off-season market and also for exports, an avenue yet to be tapped. He further stressed on cultivating a cropping pattern that would ensure highest income per unit area in comparison to labor and investment involved. The Minister also stated that innovative steps are being initiated to further streamline working of the department to make it a more vibrant unit of the government.
The department not only develops and maintains parks and gardens but also contributes significantly in doubling the income of farmers and flower cultivators by providing them assistance during planting and harvesting season, he added. “Since parks’ locations, usually in nearby neighborhoods, are either free or low-cost to visitors, and are accessible, so why not to develop Physical Activity Centre (Gym) in these parks,” said Javaid Mir and directed the concerned officers to identify such parks in all the three regions of J&K. Director Floriculture Jammu, BabilaRakwal, Additional Secretary, S SSamyal, Project Director, Bagh-e-Bahu, JointDirector Floriculture Jammu, District Floriculture Officers besides Engineers of the Department were present in the meeting.(KNO)