J&K Govt Restructures Agriculture Production Dept. for Welfare of Farmers

Agriculture Production Department (APD) of J&K was restructured on Saturday by merging three existing line departments: the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, the Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department, and the Horticulture Department.

Following that, the Agriculture Production Department's Administrative Secretary will be named Agriculture Production Commissioner.

The government claimed that the restructuring of line departments was aimed at "doubling farm income of farmers, orchardists, and people who make up 70% of the population and rely on animal, sheep, and fisheries for a living."

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the creation of Agriculture Production Department, which shall consist of the “Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department” comprising Agriculture; Agriculture Education; Agro Industries Development Corporation; Applied Nutrition Programme; Command Area Development; Land Use Development Board; Rakhs and Farms; Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST) Jammu/Kashmir; Special Programmes like BDP and DRAP etc; Sericulture; Jammu and Kashmir Advisory Board for Development of Kissans, “Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department” comprising Animal Husbandry; Livestock Development Board Jammu/Kashmir; Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Limited; Jammu and Kashmir Sheep and Sheep Products Development Board; Sheep Husbandry; Fisheries Development; Mission Dairy Development and “Horticulture Department” comprising Horticulture; Horticulture Planning and Marketing and Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Limited,” read an order issued by Principal Secretary GAD Manoj Kumar Dwivedi.

"As a result of this, the Administrative Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department shall be designated as Agriculture Production Commissioner," he added.

Later, the government stated in an official statement that in order to double the farm income of farmers, orchardists, and people who rely on animal husbandry, sheep husbandry, and fisheries for a living, it ordered "comprehensive restructuring of the government departments dealing with these sectors."

"These activities engage approximately 70% of the UT's population, and the creation of a fully-fledged Agriculture Production Department by merging the three existing line departments namely Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare, Animal, Sheep Husbandry & Fisheries, and Horticulture is likely to synergize government efforts in achieving the Prime Minister's target of doubling farm income," it added.

According to the government, the restructuring would ensure that all schemes for the welfare of the population engaged in these sectors would be available under one umbrella in a single department.

"The benefits of various schemes available in these sectors can be converged and made available as a comprehensive package to farmers, orchardists, and others." The government decision "will also ensure that the inter-sectoral requirements of agriculture and allied sectors are met in a hassle-free manner and will serve as a milestone in the transparent and timely transfer of funds to farmers," it said.

It was also stated that this would be a step forward in achieving the government's goal of ensuring a comprehensive transformation in the livelihood of farmers in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by modernizing technological interventions and diversifying support systems available in agriculture and allied sectors. "The decision is likely to significantly promote agri-entrepreneurship as a means of high return and respectable employment," it continued.