CM Omar, Union Minister Co-Chair Meet on Agriculture and Rural Schemes

SRINAGAR: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday co-chaired a high-level review meeting at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, to assess the progress of agriculture and rural development initiatives in the Union Territory.

The meeting marked renewed Centre-UT collaboration, with a focus on scaling up centrally sponsored schemes and strengthening grassroots infrastructure in JK’s rural and farm sectors. It also included a sectoral review, action planning, and the launch of new initiatives to promote self-employment and women’s empowerment.

During the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Kudumbashree and JKRLM to establish 20 food service enterprises across all 20 districts of JK. The initiative aims to empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) through entrepreneurship. A compendium titled Har Didi Ek Kahani, featuring over 100 success stories of SHG members who became ‘Lakhpati Didis’, was also launched.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan lauded the UT’s achievements in agriculture and allied sectors, and reiterated the Centre’s support under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “For Viksit Bharat, a Viksit Jammu & Kashmir is essential. My office is just a call away,” he said, assuring all assistance to the UT administration.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked the Union Minister for his swift response and presence. Recalling his request during the recent NITI Aayog meeting, he said, “This visit after the Pahalgam incident reflects your commitment and solidarity. Dialogue and collaboration are key to resolving issues swiftly.”

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ram Nath Thakur; Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Javid Ahmed Dar; and Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, were also present.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, senior officials from the Government of India, and J&K Administrative Secretaries from Agriculture Production, RDD, PWD, and other departments. Presentations were made by Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Shailendra Kumar, and Secretary, RDD & PR, Aijaz Asad, detailing progress under schemes such as PM-Kisan, RKVY, MIDH, MGNREGA, PMAY-G, NRLM, and PMAY.

Key performance indicators, field-level success stories, and digital tools used for monitoring scheme implementation were highlighted. The meeting concluded with joint commitments to grassroots empowerment, inclusive development, and stronger Centre–UT cooperation to transform J&K’s rural and agricultural landscape.