Srinagar, October 01 (Scoop News) – Reiterating his government’s determination to tackle unemployment crisis with multi-faceted approach, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday favoured an umbrella scheme for the engagement of technocrats. He called for a coordinated approach by the concerned departments in this direction in association with Planning and Finance Departments.
Chairing a high level meeting to look into various aspects of regularization of Rehber-e-Ziraat, the Chief Minister directed for a comprehensive proposal from the Agricultural Production Department for the purpose.
The meeting was attended by the Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister of State for Horticulture, Javid Ahmad Dar, Minister of State for Cooperatives, Dr. Manohar Lal, Chief Secretary, S. S. Kapur, Principal Secretary Agriculture, Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary Planning, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Commissioner Secretary Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey and other senior officers.
Pin pointing the importance of increasing per unit production and productivity in the agriculture sector, Omar Abdullah said that the agriculture graduates and subject matter specialists have a stupendous role to play in this direction. “We have to utilize expertise and modern technology to boost the agriculture production and expand agro-based activities in the State”, he said maintaining that it would generate wide ranging economic activities and also help job opportunities in private sector.
The Principal Secretary Agriculture enumerated various important aspects of regularization of Rehber-e-Ziraat and highlighted the necessity of a scheme for the purpose. He also gave financial implications and the modus-oprendi of the scheme worked out by the department.
It was stated in the meeting that over 2800 Rehber-e-Ziraat are presently working in the Agriculture Production Department on monthly remuneration of Rs. 3000. They are rendering their services in the extension of agricultural practices at the Panchayat level in the State.