KL Report
Srinagar
Underscoring the significance of agriculture in the overall Socio-economic emancipation of the State, the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Ab. Rahim Rather Monday urged the need for introduction of modern farming techniques and latest agriculture research besides ensuring timely availability of quality agriculture inputs for enhancing agriculture production and productivity in a big way.
Speaking at a Pre-budget discussion with the representatives of Progressive farmers, on the 3rd consecutive day at Jammu, Rather said that owing to the primary role of agriculture sector in bringing economic prosperity and employment generation, the State Government has made almost entire agriculture sector tax free, with the main objective to make the farming an attractive viable and gainful activity. He said the process of Pre-budget discussions with the Progressive farmers has been initiated by him to give vent to their feelings through interactions in presence of the higher authorities associated with Budget formulation exercise, so that their genuine and fruitful suggestion could be incorporated in the Budget proposals. He said almost all the genuine suggestions of the farmer community, presented during last 4 pre-budget discussions have been considered favourably adding that Government was open to lend every possible support to give further boost to agriculture activities in the State.
Rather said inputs provided by the representatives of farming community in previous budget meetings have proved very fruitful and now hardly any activity under agriculture and allied sectors is now left without the benefit of various incentives including tax concession. He said availability of hybrid seeds and adequate irrigation facilities to the fruit growers and agriculturist is under the main focus of the Government.
“A look on the past 40 years clearly demonstrate that such agriculture promotion measures have never been taken as in last 3 Budgets,” Rather asserted adding that formulation of, first of its kind, Kissan Welfare Board was an encouraging beginning in this direction which has been representing Kissan Fraternity satisfactorily not in Pre-Budget discussions but at various foras for a of the government and civil administration. He said, infact, constitution of Kissan Development Board was a good omen for the farmering committee. He said Pre-Budget discussion with farming community has now become a permanent and in build component of Budget formulations and no Finance Minister in future can afford to ignore this community in future now also, Rather maintained.
