SAMBA, FEBRUARY 17: Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Pashupati Kumar Paras, today visited border district Samba to assess the development works and address public aspirations as part of central government’s initiative of public outreach in Jammu and Kashmir. On the maiden day of his two day visit to the district, Union Minister held a Public Outreach Programme at Thankdi Khui, Vijaypur. He listened to public representatives regarding their issues and concerns besides inspecting departmental stalls established on the occasion. Union Minister was accompanied by District Development Council Chairman, Keshav Dutt Sharma, Vice Chairman DDC, Balwan Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Anuradha Gupta, SSP Benam Tosh and other officers. Pashupati Kumar, while reaffirming commitment of central government towards development of J&K, said that these regular visits to the UT are aimed at to assess and review development works besides ensuring that benefits of all centrally sponsored schemes are being extended to the public. He appreciated the UT government for accelerated pace of holistic development of border district Samba especially road network, health infrastructure, education institutions and industrial growth. Later, Union Minister inspected the departmental stalls established on the occasion and reviewed the achievement and saturation of beneficiary oriented schemes. He exhorted upon locals to reap maximum benefits from various central sponsored schemes. The departmental stalls installed on the occasion included Agriculture, Horticulture, Sheep Husbandry, Animal Husbandry, Social Welfare, Handicraft & Handloom, KVIB, Health, ICDS, Fisheries department besides others. On the occasion, Union Minister distributed certificates and sanction letters among the beneficiaries of ladli Beti scheme, self employment schemes, UDID cards, Ayushman Bharat cards, Horticulture schemes, Handicraft handloom schemes etc. Union Minister also e-inaugurated construction of sub centre, Papper under District Capex and sub centre Kullian under BADP project, 2 RCC bridges on Samba -Sumb road and improvement/upgradation of link road from Chak Salarian to Ramloo, Raika to Majua under NABARD (District Plan) with project cost Rs 1601.68 lakh. Later, Union minister visited the Hansraj Exports, Walnut Processing and grading unit in Bari-Brahmana Industrial Estate. He was informed that Walnut a traditional industry of J&K involves about 5 lakh people of this UT at various levels from production to sale. Regarding initiatives of Make In India, Union Minister said that, locally produced varieties are also being recognized across the globe with th hoone help of various schemes under Ministry of Food Processing Industries including PMKSY, Mega Food Park, Cold Chain, Agro Processing Cluster, creation of backward and forward linkages besides others.
