SRINAGAR: Around 750 farmers from across the Kashmir Valley on Saturday participated in a live webcast of the Prime Minister’s PM-KISAN programme at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), coinciding with the release of the 23rd installment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme.
During the national event held at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district of West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released Rs 18,880 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), benefiting more than 9.44 crore farmers across the country under the flagship income-support programme.
The webcast at SKUAST-K witnessed the participation of 510 male and 240 female farmers representing different districts of Kashmir. The programme also served as a platform to highlight various government initiatives aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector and enhancing farmers’ livelihoods.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Cooperatives and Elections, Javid Ahmad Dar attended the event as chief guest.
Addressing the gathering, Dar described PM-KISAN as a transformative initiative that has provided timely financial assistance to farmers across the country. He said the scheme has played an important role in supporting the farming community and improving agricultural sustainability.
The minister also highlighted the increasing participation of youth in agriculture and called upon farmers to avail themselves of opportunities under flagship programmes such as the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and the Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP).
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-K, underscored the significance of farmer-centric schemes and stressed the role of agricultural institutions in bridging the gap between scientific research and field-level adoption of technology.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to supporting farmers through research, innovation and extension services aimed at improving productivity and farm incomes.
Earlier, Prof Raihana Habib Kanth, Director Extension, welcomed the guests and participants and highlighted the Directorate’s efforts in connecting farmers with modern agricultural technologies, best practices and innovations.
The programme also witnessed the release of two publications, the UT-Level Action Plan for the National Campaign Khet Bachao Abhiyan and a compendium titled Farmers Scheme Guide.
Senior university officers, scientists, extension professionals, students and progressive farmers were present on the occasion.
