JAMMU, JANUARY 23: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department (APD), Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting to review the status of micro irrigation and irrigation for Kharif season-2023 here at Civil Secretariat. Principal Secretary Jal Shakti, Shaleen Kabra, Secretary in APD, DG Planning APD, DG Command Area Development, Chief Engineers Irrigation and Flood Control Jammu/Kashmir, Director Agriculture Jammu/Kashmir and other senior officers of Agriculture and allied departments participated in the meeting in person and through virtual mode. The meeting held a threadbare discussion over the irrigation requirement, de-silting of irrigation canals, critical growth of different crops besides deliberating on month-wise irrigation scheduling of major crops under canal command of both the divisions of the Union Territory. Directors Agriculture, both Jammu and Kashmir, displayed presentation on status of micro irrigation and other irrigation facilities for Kharif season-2023. ACS directed the officers of concerned departments to open the canals and make those functional by 1st March in Jammu division and 1st April in Kashmir division. He said that there is a lot more to be done in deficient areas and it should be ensured that water reaches the tail end of the canals in every village in Jammu and Kashmir. Dulloo also instructed Directors of Agriculture Jammu and Kashmir to prepare an irrigation schedule with the assistance of CEs Irrigation, FC Jammu and Kashmir which would be used by the farming community. On the occasion, Chief Engineers Irrigation and Directors of Agriculture of both the divisions were directed to formulate a project proposal for Udhampur and Baramulla districts under PM Gati Shakti scheme. Later, ACS chaired a meeting to review the availability of seed, semen and planting material in terms of Apex Committee Projects. The meeting discussed the availability and requirement with respect to breeder seed requirement, foundation seed requirement and certified seed etc. Similarly, the meeting held threadbare discussion on availability of semen in animal and Sheep Husbandries and plant material from alternate channels including CSPs, SPOs, SKUAST-J/K through holistic development of agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by Secretary in APD, DG Sericulture J&K, DG Sheep Husbandry Kashmir, Director Horticulture Jammu/Kashmir, Director Animal Husbandry Jammu/Kashmir, Director Fisheries J&K, Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu, Director Agriculture Jammu/Kashmir, Technical Officers APD while Kashmir based officers participated online.
