Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Reviews JKCIP Progress to Accelerate Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR, July 28 — Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project across all districts of the Union Territory.

The high-level meeting brought together senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, university vice-chancellors, and departmental heads, to evaluate progress across agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and fisheries sectors.Stressing that agriculture remains vital to the regional economy, Atal Dulloo instructed implementing agencies to transition from processing approvals to delivering on-ground results by establishing beneficiary units promptly.

To maximize outreach, he directed the Agriculture Production Department to collaborate with rural self-help groups and leverage the Mission YUVA database to actively involve women and young entrepreneurs. Deputy Commissioners were instructed to establish a roster-based inspection system to verify unit functionality, monitor implementation quality, and resolve local operational bottlenecks.

The project has recorded substantial growth, with farmer registrations surging to over 60,000 and more than 43,000 applications approved, leading to the establishment of 7,501 beneficiary units so far. Interventions span protected cultivation, orchard rejuvenation, saffron, aromatic crops, livestock development, and nearly complete targets for Farmer Producer Organisation registration.

Reviewing the Annual Work Plan and Budget for 2026-27, the Chief Secretary emphasized aligning financial spending with physical milestones to drive socio-economic growth across rural communities.