Govt approves high-density plantation nurseries scheme
Approves 196 posts for State Cancer Institute, Jammu
JAMMU: The Administrative Council (AC) under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Thursday approved the implementation of the high-density plantation nurseries scheme for private entrepreneurs and start-ups in the horticulture sector. The scheme will be in force for a period of 5 years.
The new scheme in line with the Atmanirbar Bharat Abhiyan, will provide 50% subsidy through direct benefit transfer to entrepreneurs for establishing high-density plantation nurseries to locally developed rootstocks. It will substantially reduce the cost of obtaining planting material by doing away with the need of keeping the imported plants in quarantine for 2 years before their transplantation, besides reducing the mortality rate of imported rootstocks, an official spokesman said.
The farmer-centric scheme will be implemented for apples, walnut, almond, cherry, litchi, and olive among others. It will give a boost to employment opportunities by creating more than 0.6 million man-days jobs per year and will make the sector self-reliant in terms of inputs required for high-density plantations, he added.
The shift to high-density plantations is expected to make horticulture hugely profitable through superior and higher yields per hectare, early harvest, and introduction of insect and pest resistance varieties- invariably saving the expenditure on disease and pest control.
“It will go a long way in enhancing the quality and quantity of horticulture produce for doubling the farmer’s income for establishing high-density plantation nurseries to locally developed rootstocks. It will substantially reduce the cost of obtaining planting material by doing away with the need of keeping the imported plants in quarantine for 2 years before their transplantation, besides reducing the mortality rate of imported rootstocks,” the spokesman said.
The shift to high-density plantations is expected to make horticulture hugely profitable through superior and higher yields per hectare, early harvest, and introduction of insect and pest resistance varieties- invariably saving the expenditure on disease and pest control. It will go a long way in enhancing the quality and quantity of horticulture produce for doubling the farmer’s income.
The AC also approved the proposal of the Health and Medical Education Department to create 196 posts for the State Cancer Institute (SCI) at the Super Specialty Hospital, Jammu. The new posts have been created to adequately meet the requirement of faculty, technical, paramedical, and administrative staff of the cancer treatment institute coming up in the Union territory.
To strengthen tertiary level cancer care facilities, the State Cancer Institute is being established at an estimated cost of 120 crores under the centrally sponsored scheme ‘National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, CVD, and Stroke (NPCDCS) .
SCI will function as an apex institute for cancer-related treatment which will mentor and coordinate activities of other institutes. It will also provide outreach services, diagnosis, and referral treatments, develop treatment protocols and undertake cancer research to enhance the efficacy of treatment in Jammu and Kashmir.
The AC also approved transfer of land measuring 27 Kanal to the Health & Medical Education Department for developing infrastructure under the Indian System of Medicine (ISM).
The Administrative Council approved the transfer of parcels of land measuring 11 Kanal and 16 Kanal to establish a 50-bedded AYUSH hospital at Baramulla and herbal garden at Pulwama, respectively.
Considering the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is a treasure trove of herbs and traditional medicine, the Health & Medical Education Department is committed to conservation and development of alternative medical practices.
KV News
