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| Inspect ongoing works at Spice Park |
SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 28: Minister
for Agriculture Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Minister for Forests, Ecology and
Environment, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Mir Zahoor Ahmad today had an extensive
tour of Saffron fields in Pampore and took stock of various ongoing works under
Saffron Mission.
The ministers also visited Spice Park at Dusoo
Pampore had a review meeting with senior officers working under NSM.
The Ministers visited Munpora,
Latpora, Dusoo and several other villages and took stock of sprinkles being
constructed under the NSM.
The ministers visited Spice Park Dusoo, where they had a review meeting
with officers of the Saffron Mission and had interacted with saffron growers.
Hanjura
on the occasion said that the Spice Park would be
equipped with hi-tech machinery for processing, drying, grading, and packing of
saffron. Besides, the park would be equipped with quality control laboratory,
e-auction centre, garbage and waste utilization among other latest facilities
for saffron growers.
Hanjura
said the objective of establishing the park is to revive the saffron
cultivation on modern lines by providing the farmers with latest technology to
increase their income.
Highlighting the importance of the crop, the Minister said saffron is the
trademark of Kashmiri culture and heritage and collective efforts are needed to
preserve it.
Hanjura
said the successful beginning of implementation of saffron mission would
definitely show enthusiasm in rejuvenation of saffron culture.
Hanjura on the occasion directed the concerned departments to complete
the digging work of 124 wells by 31 December this year.
On the occasion, Mir Zahoor Ahmad said that the project is nearing to
its completion and is expected to overcome irrigation facilities to Saffron
fields.
He said that 99 percent of people of his constituency are directly or
indirectly related to Saffron production and National saffron mission is a hope
for them to regain its old glory.
Mir Zahoor also said that aim of introducing centrally funded Saffron
Mission in the state was to have a quality control and e-marketing facilities
for saffron growers at their doorstep.
On the
occasion, a large number of Saffron growers also had an interaction with the
Ministers and put forth their demands and grievances. The ministers assured
them that their genuine demands would be resolved on priority bases.
Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Sundeep Kumar Naik, Deputy
Commissioner Pulwama, Ghulam Mohammad Dar, Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf
Ajaz Andrabi and other officials of the department were present.
