Agriculture, allied sectors vital for growth of rural economy: Veeri

Minister chairs District Development Board meeting of Pulwama; Rs 130.02 cr annual plan approved

Drabu for evolving constituency-based development model

PULWAMA, FEBRUARY 28: Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Tuesday said that agriculture and its allied sectors are vital for growth of rural economy and should be tapped to optimum on a sustainable basis for changing the landscape of rural areas of the State.
The Minister was speaking at the District Development Board meeting of Pulwama today which he chaired in presence of Minister for Finance Dr Haseeb Drabu and Minister of State for Forests Mir Zahoor Ahmad. The meeting approved Rs 130.02 crore annual plan (2017-18) for the district.
Member Parliament Nazir Ahmad Laway, Legislators, Mohammad Khaleel Bandh, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, District Development Commissioner Pulwama Muneer-ul-Islam, Heads of various Departments, Chief Engineers and District officers attended the meeting.
The DDC apprised the meeting about various developmental activities undergoing in the district. The meeting also took a comprehensive review of the progress made in various projects and decisions of the last Board Meeting and took stock of sectoral, physical and financial achievements registered in the district plan 2016-17.
Speaking on the occasion, Veeri asked the officers to ensure target oriented development by prioritizing and working upon core competencies of district Pulwama so that tangible results are realized on ground level. He said that Livestock and Horticulture are two key sectors having the potential to transform the economic scenario of the district. He directed the concerned authorities to achieve the targets set under National Saffron Mission within one year.
During the meeting, officials of Health Department were directed to establish Primary Health Centres in different constituencies of the district so that better healthcare facilities are provided to people of far flung areas.
Officials of Horticulture Department were directed to sensitize orchard growers about the benefits of high density plantations so that traditional plantations are replaced with high density ones. The meeting also decided to set up a Pesticide Laboratory at an estimated cost of Rs 75 lakh in the district this year.
Veeri directed the district administration that no stone should be left unturned in realizing the goals and targets envisaged in annual plan so as to ensure maximum benefits to the people.
While stressing on building social infrastructure in the district, Minister for Finance Dr Haseeb Drabu, enjoined the district administration to focus more creating tangible assets under education and health sectors, besides working on improved sanitation measures to produce quality human resource in the district which is vital for changing the socio-economic scenario of the district.
He also stressed the officers to gear up for a shift from planning at block level to constituency based development model. He urged them to ensure proper projection of developmental projects so that need oriented infrastructure would come up at ground level.
On the occasion, legislators representing Pampore, Tral and Pulwama assembly segments projected various developmental issues concerning their respective constituencies.