Uttarakhand’s Agriculture Minister, Ganesh Joshi, chaired a departmental review meeting today at the Horticultural Council auditorium in the Circuit House, Dehradun, regarding the establishment of polyhouses funded by NABARD. Chief Development Officers, District Chief Horticulture Officers, and District Agriculture Officers from all districts of the state participated in the meeting virtually.
During the meeting, the Agriculture Minister reviewed the progress of NABARD-funded polyhouse construction in all districts. Expressing dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work, he instructed officials to expedite the process. Minister Joshi directed that targets be set for cluster selection, farmer selection, and the development of large clusters for at least two crops—vegetables and flowers—in all districts, and that polyhouses be established quickly. He also emphasized the need for regular monitoring at the district level.
During the review meeting, the Agriculture Minister instructed officials to prepare a concrete action plan and work systematically on the JICA project, Kiwi Mission, Apple Mission, and Dragon Fruit cultivation. He also stressed the establishment of PMFME stores, working in the field of food wine from food waste, and setting up as many food processing units as possible. Minister Ganesh Joshi directed that the cultivation of water chestnuts and fox nuts be started as a pilot project in the Terai regions. He also instructed that the construction of the cold storage facility in Arakot, Uttarkashi district, be completed soon.
Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi gave necessary instructions to the officials for the effective implementation of central and state government agricultural and horticultural schemes, ensuring that the schemes yield tangible results on the ground. Minister Ganesh Joshi also announced that the first-ever Malta Festival will be organized in Dehradun soon.
During the meeting, officials informed that the pending subsidies for farmers under the Apple Mission for the years 2021-22 and 2022-23, amounting to approximately Rs. 5.50 crore, have been disbursed, and the geo-tagging has also been completed. Officials also informed that the application deadline for gardener recruitment has been extended, and interested candidates can apply through the Prayag portal. On this occasion, Secretary of Agriculture S.N. Pandey, Director General of Agriculture Vandana Singh, and officials from all districts were present virtually
