Jammu, Feb 17 : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para on Tuesday pressed for convening an all-party meeting to discuss the impact of free trade agreements with foreign countries on Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector, particularly the apple industry.
He said a collective appeal should be made urging the prime minister to consider the matter.
Speaking during a discussion on allocations for various departments in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Para said an all-party meeting would help evolve a common stand on the issue.
“If you call an all-party meeting and discuss this issue, an appeal can be made to the prime minister to consider the matter. For Kashmir, our problems of unemployment and our efforts to come out of militancy — after facing a prolonged phase — are closely linked to economic revival,” he said.
The PDP legislator asserted that Jammu and Kashmir’s economy cannot revive unless the apple industry is safeguarded.
Calling the the Indo-US trade agreement an issue that cuts across party lines, Para urged the chief minister to convene a meeting involving the BJP and other opposition parties, besides Congress and the ruling dispensation, to collectively address concerns of farmers and horticulturists.
“My request to the government, the chief minister and the members present in this House is that an all-party meeting should be held on this issue, because this is everyone’s issue — of the opposition, the BJP, the Congress and the government as well,” he said.
Para flagged rising unemployment and said sustained economic recovery was essential for steering the region away from militancy.
The Pulwama MLA said the free trade policy has emerged as a major challenge for the horticulture sector, especially in disaster-prone areas, adding that farmers across the country were anxious over its implications.
He cited concerns raised by Congress MLA G A Mir and said there was widespread resentment and apprehension among landholders in Jammu and Kashmir over the threat posed to apples and other local produce.
Noting that the Jammu and Kashmir government had limited options in the matter, he said trade agreements with countries such as the US, Australia, New Zealand and several European nations could severely impact the domestic fruit market, causing hardship to growers.
Further, Para said a dry port sanctioned for Jammu following a deal signed in Dubai during the tenure of erstwhile chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had stalled and should be revived, as it could significantly benefit trade in Jammu and Kashmir.
The MLA lauded the government’s initiatives in the agro-horticulture sector, citing technological interventions in pre and post-harvest stages including drip irrigation, hail nets, high-density plantation programmes and improved storage facilities. He said districts like Pulwama and Shopian had shown encouraging results.
However, he pointed out that out of nearly 30 lakh kanals of lands under apple cultivation in the Union territory, only about 30,000 kanals had so far been brought under high-density plantations.
Stressing the need to scale up the programme, he sought interest-free loans under existing banking schemes, saying farmers could recover their investments within two years.
He further said while southern Kashmir had seen success in implementation of tech-driven horticulture, greater awareness was needed in north and central Kashmir.
Para said the government should also address irrigation challenges, particularly the hurdles in constructing borewells under the constituency development fund (CDF). He said objections by the groundwater department had increased costs manifold and cited an official circular barring borewell construction under CDF.
Highlighting a broader irrigation crisis in villages, he alleged delays in release of funds by the Jal Shakti department due to House committee issues, saying it had stalled works.
The PDP MLA also suggested taking up desilting of streams, rivers and irrigation canals in a mission mode under MGNREGA, with proper mapping by the rural development department, saying it would help resolve irrigation problems and deliver tangible benefits to people.
