Jammu, October 02: To ensure timely sale of paddy and remunerative prices to the farmers, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Saturday e-launched 20 Paddy Procurement Centres (Mandis) in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts.
In a first, the Government of J&K has started procuring wheat in addition to paddy.
Speaking at the launch, the Lt Governor said the amount of sale proceeds will be directly credited into the accounts of the farmers through DBT within 72 hours.
The Lt Governor assured the farmers that the number of e-Mandis will be increased further in future, and reiterated the commitment of the Government to provide all possible assistance to the farmers to increase their income. ‘Contrary to the rumours being spread by certain section with vested interests, I assure the farmers that the number of these Mandis will be increased further in future’, he said.
The Lt Governor said that the use of technology has enabled all these Mandis to get linked digitally with the procurement portal, so that the Food Corporation of India can register the farmers on the portal and transfer money to their accounts through DBT within 72 hours.
The Lt Governor said the initiative would eliminate middlemen and end distress sales. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners and other revenue officers to provide land record documents to the farmers on priority. “I have been informed that advance registration has started on the online portal. For the convenience of the farmers, revenue authorities should start providing the land record documents to the farmers, said the Lt Governor.
Complementing the farmers of J&K for taking a lead in the country with 70 quintals per hectare production of paddy during the last harvest, he said that this time also our farmer will set new records in per hectare production. He also exhorted the farmers to diversify their crops and adopt new techniques for enhanced productivity.
The Lt Governor further said that it is the dream of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that the existing government machinery should solve every issue of the farmers pertaining to the purchase of products. Agricultural reforms introduced by the government will connect farmers directly to the market and eliminate middlemen, he added.
The Lt Governor informed that under PM KISAN, the assistance of Rs 1,721 crore has been provided by the central government to the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir, thus providing huge relief to them during the Corona epidemic.
The Lt Governor said that UT administration is committed and steadfast for the welfare of farmers. The farmers' welfare programs that are being implemented will speed up the process of qualitative and quantitative changes in rural J&K, doubling the income of our farmers.
We have done away with the anti-farmer, anti people policies. We will ensure that whatever best is possible will be done to make the lives of our farmers better, he said.
Birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri
LG leads celebrations by administering ‘Swachhta Pledge’ to officers
To commemorate the 152nd birth anniversary of the Father of Nation-Mahatma Gandhi, and 117th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha led the celebrations by administering the Swachhta Pledge to officers and officials at Raj Bhavan and Civil Secretariat here on Saturday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said that the pledge is a resolve of the J&K Government and every individual to take forward the ideals espoused by the two great leaders.
The Lt Governor said Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Urban-2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)-2.0 launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 01, 2021, envisions clean urban spaces and water secure cities and we need to work on a mission mode to meet the targets in a time bound manner.
He also stressed for completing the prestigious projects under AMRUT Mission 1.0 at the earliest.
Following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi a Swatchhta Pakhwada shall be observed across the UT. From 3rd to 18th October various cleanliness activities will be conducted in the civil secretariat and field offices across the UT in a planned manner.
The Lt Governor advised the Deputy Commissioners to generate a sense of competition among the people of their respective districts. It is necessary to have competition in all the 20 districts, so that residents are motivated to keep their cities, towns, and mohallas clean and free from waste, he added.
Underlining the significant role of the PRIs and Urban Local Bodies to make the Swachh Abhiyan successful, the Lt Governor urged the members of PRIs and government officers to work on innovative ideas like adoption of a lake/ water body, adoption of a school or places of public importance for cleanliness drive.
Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Sh. Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department; Sh. Vivek Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department; Sh. Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, IG Kashmir DCs, SPs, and other senior officers of the various government departments and agencies participated in the Swachhta Pledge, in person, and through virtual mode.