KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Former Minister and PDP’s Amira Kadal Lawmaker, Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari Wednesday said that his government “was not serious” about the agriculture sector of J&K.
Participating in the discussion over grants to Agriculture sector in lower house of J&K Legislature, he said, “the attention which agriculture sector should get is missing.”
He said that 70% of J&K people are dependent on the sector. “If this sector is given boost, we will be self-sufficient. Our economy will touch sky.”
“I don’t know why government has not given required attention to this sector,” he rued.
Notable to mention here, Bukhari was PWD Minister in late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed led PDP-BJP Government.
“I know industry sector is important, tourism too is important but we can’t ignore agriculture sector,” he added.
More so, Bukhari vouched for effect to promotion of officers in the agriculture department. “People working in this department are stagnant,” he told the Speaker, “if officers are not given promotion which is due to them how come you expect results from them?”
Lauding the J&K’s IAS force, Bukhari, however, criticised government for not giving “technical departments to technical man power”. “Agriculture department is a technical department but it is being manned by non-technical persons,” he said, “late Mufti sahab had asserted that these things will be kept in mind but I don’t know why it is not being followed.”
He asked government if state lacked such human resource.
He further claimed that Ladakh region can supply vegetables to half of India “provided suitable vegetation is done in the cold desert.” He rued as why Ladakh lawmakers did not raise such issues in the house.
Bukhari hoped that the expertise of newly appointed VC of SKUAST-K will be used in Horticulture department. “He has had a good stint at CITH,” Bukhari said, “I hope he uses his expertise in the agri-sector as a whole.”
