A high-level meeting was held at the Secretariat, chaired by Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan, via video conferencing with District Magistrates to discuss the production of fruits such as apples, kiwis, and dragon fruit.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed officials to continuously gather feedback from farmers and make necessary improvements to schemes to address their issues. He emphasized the need for District Magistrates to set clear targets for increasing production areas and productivity under the mission and to enhance the utilization of *Krishi Vigyan Kendras* (Farm Science Centres).
Special emphasis was placed on developing cold storage chains, transportation, ropeways, marketing facilities, and processing units to create a robust ecosystem for horticulture. Additionally, instructions were issued to adopt a cluster-based approach for the intensive cultivation of apples and kiwis and to develop state-of-the-art nurseries for high-density varieties. Three vendors have been empanelled in each district to facilitate the benefits of the polyhouse scheme, and a proposal was made to replace crops in older, low-productivity areas with new ones.
Principal Secretaries R.K. Sudhanshu and R. Meenakshi Sundaram; Secretaries Shailesh Bagauli, S.N. Pandey, and Rajendra Kumar; Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop; Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat; along with District Magistrates and senior officials from various districts, were present on the occasion.
