Krishi Vigyan Kendra for district Ramban has been approved by Indian Council of Agriculture Research, New Delhi under the administrative control of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu. The proposal of KVK Ramban was long pending with the ICAR due to non-availability of land in favour of SKUAST Jammu.
With the kind intervention of Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and concerted efforts of Professor J.P. Sharma Vice-Chancellor SKUAST Jammu, 117.18 kanals (5.859 ha) of land at Village Dalwas was transferred to SKUAST Jammu for the establishment of new KVK.
Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha congratulated SKUAST-Jammu for getting new KVK approved for district Ramban. Expressing his priority for the farming community, he said that KVK will be instrumental in uplifting the socio-economic condition of the farmers of Ramban. He reiterated that with the establishment of new KVK, farmers will have direct and quick exposure to the latest agricultural technologies. Also, the farmers will have better coverage under welfare schemes and rural youths have better entrepreneurship opportunities.
Professor J.P. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu shared that KVK will focus on enhancing farmers’ income through promotion of integrated farming system, value addition and processing of fruits and vegetables and development of innovative market linkages with effective marketing and branding.
Professor Sharma thanked Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor and Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State Science & Technology and PMO for supporting the approval of KVK Ramban.
With the approval of KVK Ramban, the tally of functional KVKs under SKUAST-Jammu enhance to nine for Jammu region. The Site Selection committee constituted for screening the application of KVK Ramban include Dr. P.L. Gautam, Pro-Chancellor Career Point University and Former Vice Chancellor GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar (Chairman), Dr.Rajbir Singh, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana, Sh. K.K. Sharma, Director Agriculture, Jammu, SKUAST-Jammu, Dr. D.M. Makhdoomi, Director Extension, SKUAST-Kashmir and Dr.Javed Iqbal Mir, Scientist representative from ICAR-CITH, Srinagar. Dr. S.K. Gupta, Director Extension made the virtual presentation before the screening committee.