Every Development Block in Uttar Pradesh will Have a Horticulture Model Village

While directing the officers during the departmental review meeting through video conferencing at Udyan Bhawan, Lucknow, Shri Dinesh Pratap Singh State’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Horticulture and Agriculture Exports said to develop one horticulture model village in each development block with the aim of taking horticulture development programmes to all gram panchayats of the state.

He also informed that each model village will be inspected by deputy director and DHO level officers. Also, flex boards will be installed outside the model village for information. This board will show that the concerned village has been marked as model village.

He directed that in order to increase the potato, seed, production program on the vacant fertile land of the department, a register should be maintained for the assets with full details of the departmental farms and production units. He said that such land and buildings of the Horticulture Department, which are not mentioned in the records of revenue, should be made to be marked.

He directed that under the innovative programs, emphasis should be laid on increasing qualitative production by expanding the area of crops like dragon fruit, strawberry etc. Farmers should be encouraged to set up cold rooms near the mandi.

He directed that under ‘Per Drop-More-Crop’, districts with low progress should be reviewed by giving them week-wise targets. Rabi crop seeds should be distributed by October 20.

Agriculture Production Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh directed the officers to integrate and develop all dimensions of horticulture development as clusters by implementing departmental schemes more effectively. All deputy directors and horticulture officers should provide a report of the quantity of industrial crops being grown in their district.

In the review meeting, it was decided to establish a special center of excellence in Lucknow, Barabanki, Kanpur, Hapur and Pali House for the development of beekeeping.

Source: Drishti IAS