APD to be re-named ‘Agriculture Production & Farmer Welfare Department’

Ziraat Times News

Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir’s Administrative Council (AC), which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu, approved the proposal of Agriculture Production Department to change its nomenclature to ‘Agriculture Production & Farmer Welfare Department’.

The decision to change the nomenclature is in line with the Government of India renaming “Agriculture Ministry” as “Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare”, and, many states following renaming their Agriculture departments to Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, a government spokesperson said.

The decision underscores the changing role of Agriculture Production Department in socio economic transformation of Jammu and Kashmir and is aimed at providing greater rigour and focus on farmer welfare by optimizing and helping farmers realize the true value of their produce, he further added.

“The department with a greater focus on farmer welfare has expanded its role beyond arrangement of inputs, extension activities and on-farm activities. Now, the issues of famers’ welfare through various schemes have become the priority areas which include Public Private Partnership mode, greater investments in Agriculture, enhancing credit flow and insurance coverage in the interest of farming community”, the official further said.