SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Tuesday directed implementing agencies to accelerate the rollout of the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP), stressing the need for timely establishment of beneficiary units and improved field-level monitoring to ensure the scheme delivers tangible benefits to farmers.
Chairing a review meeting on the implementation of the project across Jammu and Kashmir, Dulloo said agriculture remains central to the Union Territory’s economy and described JKCIP as a key initiative aimed at increasing farmers’ incomes through climate-smart farming, value addition, promotion of niche crops, entrepreneurship and market integration.
He said the project had created a strong institutional framework for modernising agriculture and allied sectors but emphasised that the focus must now shift from approvals to outcomes on the ground.
To widen participation under the programme, the Chief Secretary directed the Agriculture Production Department to tap into the Rural Development Department’s Self-Help Group (SHG) network and the Mission YUVA database to engage women and aspiring young entrepreneurs. He said convergence with these initiatives would help improve outreach and ensure more eligible beneficiaries are covered.
Dulloo also asked Deputy Commissioners to introduce a roster-based system of field inspections to verify the functioning of beneficiary units, assess implementation quality and gather direct feedback from beneficiaries. He said regular inspections should also identify bottlenecks and help resolve issues affecting project implementation.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Ashish Chandra Verma, said farmer participation in the project had increased significantly since the last review, reflecting growing confidence in the scheme. However, he said there was still scope for improvement and called on implementing agencies to intensify awareness campaigns and strengthen last-mile delivery so that more farmers, youth and agri-entrepreneurs could benefit.
Mission Director JKCIP, Dr Sagar Doifode Dattatray, informed the meeting that the number of registered farmers under the project has risen to 60,283, marking an increase of nearly 189 per cent. He said 67,579 applications had been received under various interventions, of which 43,168 had been approved, while 7,501 beneficiary units have already been established across Jammu and Kashmir.
The review also noted progress across agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, sheep husbandry and animal husbandry sectors. Large-scale interventions have been taken up in vegetable cultivation, saffron, aromatic rice, protected cultivation, honey production, mushroom farming, medicinal plants and water management, while horticulture initiatives have focused on orchard rejuvenation, fruit cultivation, nursery development and irrigation.
The meeting was informed that the project had nearly achieved its target for the registration and identification of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
Reviewing the Annual Work Plan and Budget for 2026-27, the Chief Secretary directed departments to ensure timely execution of approved activities, optimal utilisation of funds and strict adherence to implementation schedules. He stressed that financial progress should remain aligned with physical achievements to maximise the project’s impact.
Dulloo also reviewed district-wise implementation, monitoring mechanisms and scheme-wise progress, directing departments to strengthen transparency in beneficiary selection, improve grassroots awareness and regularly monitor performance to address implementation gaps promptly.
He concluded by asking all implementing agencies to maintain the momentum and ensure that every intervention under JKCIP translates into measurable socio-economic gains for farmers across Jammu and Kashmir.
