Necessary changes should be made in the provisions under Nursery Act to ensure maximum benefit to local farmers and make farming competitive. Further, quality crates with Uttarakhand brand should be provided to apple growers in the State. The State’s Agriculture and Horticulture minister Subodh Uniyal issued these directions to officials concerned while chairing a departmental review meeting here on Tuesday.
During deliberating on the merger of agriculture and horticulture departments, the minister and officials discussed the status of posts, promotion opportunities, service manual and other aspects in detail.
An agreement was reached on making provision for the posts of executive engineer in agriculture department and to retain class IV posts till retirement of currently serving employees, after which posts like gardener and nursery helper among others, will be filled through outsourcing.
To facilitate execution of the IMA village scheme on the ground and achieve its intended purposes, the minister directed the agriculture secretary to draft the manual and to hold departmental meeting for work in this direction.
Addressing officials of the horticulture department, the minister directed them to provide apple growers with adequate number of good quality crates with Uttarakhand brand name according to their requirements.During discussion on the organic act, officials informed that suggestions are being sought from the law and justice department on the draft of the act.
On the basis of these suggestions, after discussion at the departmental level the draft will be given the final shape. Uniyal directed the departmental officials to facilitate branding of organic produce and maximise its publicity.
The minister also informed that provisions have been made in the nursery act which will enable even small farmers to set up a nursery. Government nurseries have also been brought under the purview of this act.
He also directed that a cluster based focus be adopted in execution of various schemes being undertaken for the welfare of farmers so as to enable the making of a brand which will encourage others to become involved in its production. Under the Kisan Samman Nidhi, more focus should be laid on the women, he stressed.
Agriculture and horticulture secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram, additional secretary Ramvilas Yadav, directorate of sericulture director AK Yadav, agriculture additional director KC Pathak and other departmental officials were also among those present in the meeting.
