SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has allocated substantial funding of Rs 7097cr in budget 2023-24 to develop a strong ecosystem for the cities, focusing on urban-rural partnership, enhancing market and business opportunities, job creation, filling gaps in the education system and ensuring sustainable economic development in rural and urban pockets of the Union Territory.

The implementation of the Panchayat Development Index helps in developing and replicating best practices that drive improvement across the socio-economic themes of Panchayats under the newly approved Aspirational Panchayat Development Programme (APDP).

The identified Panchayats are given special focus to saturate inclusive development schemes which would serve as model Panchayats, an official said. He added the J&K government has selected the most backward 285 Panchayats (One Panchayat per Block) under APDP for holistic development.

The Jammu & Kashmir Municipal Development Index-2022 helps in rating, assessing and analyzing the performance and level of development of various municipalities/ towns of the UT. The urban reform incentive fund is meant for providing reform-linked assistance to the ULBs of the UT based on the performance as per the benchmarks prescribed under The Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Development Index-2022

The Budget has also been earmarked to declare all the villages and ULBs Open Defecation Free plus status (ODF plus).

Notably, Several Municipal bodies including Municipal Councils and Municipal Committees of Jammu division have self-declared as Open Defecation Free plus status after complying with all bye-laws and development done in Municipal limits as per the Swachh Bharat Mission norms.

Under the initiative of “Har Gaon Ek Amrit Sarovar”, 4041 Amrit Sarovars have been identified, out of which, 2420 have been completed and the remaining will be completed before the 15th of August 2023. The dream of elevated light Metro Rail in the Capital Cities of Jammu and Kashmir will also be realized in this year's budget.

The government has also earmarked funds for new Townships and Housing Colonies for economically weaker sections /low-income groups/Middle-Income groups at Jammu and Srinagar.

To empower and facilitate the marketing of products of women entrepreneurs, the government will establish Ladies HAAT and Ladies Exclusive Markets in Jammu, Srinagar and other Major Towns besides the creation of EKTA Malls.

Meanwhile, Rs 50 crore has been earmarked for Samridh Seema Yojina for the development of Border Areas.

To provide employment avenues and handhold youth in setting up their enterprises, 10,000 further SHGs are to be formed with the Budget of 2023-24.

The government has also allocated funds for the constitution of 1500 new Panchayat Ghars to be constructed under the “Har Panchayat-Panchayat Ghar “initiative for smooth implementation of welfare programs of the Government at the grassroot level besides Rs 1313 crore provided for PRIs and ULBs Rs 271.25 crore for DDCs/BDCs.

Similarly, according to the Budget document, 40,000 new houses for houseless families under PMAY-G would be constructed, 18934 dwelling units to be completed under PMAY-U, and New 87,350 IHHLs and 2500 CSCs to be constructed.

For restoration and conservation of Dal Lake, Sewage Management of Dal Lake to be accomplished with the installation of 89.83 MLD STPs meant for benefitting 6, 20,565 people. Besides, elevated light Metro Rail in the Capital Cities of Jammu and Kashmir is to be rolled out. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: To create enabling environment for transforming J&K agriculture and allied sectors in order to increase farmer income, ensure food security and accelerate UT's economic growth, Rs 3156 crore have been allocated for these vital sectors in the budget for 2023-24.

A Holistic Agriculture Development Plan has been rolled out with 29 proposed projects worth an outlay of Rs 5012 crore to be implemented over a period of next 5 years.

An official said that the novel initiative will create additional job opportunities for 2,87,910 people in agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors besides 18,861 new business enterprises will be created over the period of next five years.

Under the ambitious project, the government will create  67000 Metric Ton CA Storage Capacity enabling the farmers store their produce for better returns.

Jammu and Kashmir government is encouraging and aiding private players to set up cold storage (CA) facilities in order to reduce post harvest losses by increasing the shelf life of various agriculture and horticulture products, as well as to address the issue of distressed crop sales by farmers.

The government has taken several concrete steps to increase agriculture and horticulture production besides improving crop quality with a special emphasis on post-harvesting management infrastructure particularly in the private sector.

As part of HADP, the UT administration has launched a Rs 46.65 crore `Promotion of Beekeeping’ project to triple the honey production over the next 5 years.

Monitoring and traceability will be done through GI labs besides 20 Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) will also be established for extending pollination facilities. 'Jammu and Kashmir will have a full-fledged center of excellence for constancy, capacity building and post-harvest management,” said the official.

Under the project, the value addition of honey is also being envisioned coupled with efficient growth of bee sector using native honey bees.

To make Fish farming a prosperous sector, the UT government has approved a Rs. 176 crore project to boost fish production. The project involves importing genetically improved fish seed, upgrading existing hatcheries and fish rearing units, introducing species diversity in aquaculture through R&D and commercializing trout and carp fish production using modern technologies such as RAS and Biofloc and is estimated to double trout and carp production over the next 5 years.

Similarly, dairy is the biggest component of livestock husbandry and plays a pivotal role in sustaining agriculture income and acts as a growth engine for agriculture, allied sectors in J&K.

The milk production is expected to reach 45 Lakh MTs from 25 Lakh MTs over next 5 years and will be achieved through a range of measures including expansion of breeding coverage and increasing per animal productivity.

One of the key elements of the Dairy under HADP project is to increase per-animal productivity from 2400 litre to 4300 litre, which is a significant increase. This will be achieved through a range of interventions including the expansion of Artificial Insemination (AI) centers from 1389 to 2189. (GNS)