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Govt to be facilitating agency in new liberalized regime: Sajad Lone

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 3/27/2015 4:06:21 PM

JAMMU, Mar 26: Minister for Animal Husbandry and Science Technology, Sajad Gani Lone, Thursday in the Legislative Assembly said that Animal Husbandry sector is one of the most vibrant sectors of economy catering to the ‘necessity sector’ of consumption.
He said that natural evolution that was supposed to take place has not taken place and the infrastructure that was installed during previous decades catered well to those times but now it seems outdated.
While replying to the Demands for Grants under his charge, the Minister said Jammu and Kashmir has ideal climatic conditions, availability of pastures to develop sheep farming, poultry and production of milk and has a vast network of lakes, water bodies and cold water streams for production of fish including world renowned trout.
The reality is that despite favourable climatic conditions we are importing products worth thousands of crore and if we are able to stop this import, it will be a tribute to this sector and this money will not leave from the State’s economy. Besides, 30 to 40 thousand people will get employment opportunities if we able to raise domestic production.
The Minister said the department has worked for about last 7 decades but there is certainly great space for improvement. He said the moment of change has arrived to bring the department in tune with the realities of today’s market and views.
“In the whole State we have to move to the new stage of economics that will spur growth through import of latest technology”. He said State lacks private sector and right now major contribution comes through unorganized sector and Government infrastructure. He said we have to expose the hidden profitability of this sector to the entrepreneurs and show them its economic viability so that they invest in this sector.
Sajad said we will take steps towards ensuring that Government’s role becomes that of a facilitator and it also does not stand as an inert bystander. We will try to attract investment and work will be done by empowering villages at the micro level besides empowering and facilitating the private sector through steps like single window clearance.
“Our mission will be to do some sort of reorganization and restructuring in the department” Sajad said and added that we need to integrate the whole set up right down to the mutton shop and the milk man. He said we will also be working towards ensuring whether mutton or any other product being sold is fit for human consumption and our department has the resources and the expertize available with it to work on this.
He said the department will also address the marketing lacuna as far as difference in the selling price and buying price of wool is concerned. He said the department will also work to rope in entrepreneurs for setting up a good wool unit here.
Sajad said that accountability from top to bottom will also be ensured among officers of the department and a valuable yardstick in terms of production levels in their areas will be considered.
Earlier, the Minister moved a Demand for Grant of a sum of Rs.51226.66 lakh to defray the charges which will come in the course of payment during the year ending March 31, 2015 for the department under his charge.
17 Members took part in discussion on demand of grants including Syed Aga Ruhulla, Syed Farooq Ahmed Andrabi, Aijaz Khan, Sham Chowdhery, Syed Baqir Rizvi, M. Y. Tarigami, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Daleep Singh Parihar, Mohammad Khalil Band, Asgar Ali Karbalai, Bashir Ahmed Dar, Nelam Langeh, Ishfaq Jabaar, Mumtaz Khan, Abdul Rahim Rather, Er. Abdul Rashid and Altaf Bukhari.
Later, the members, who moved the Cut Motions on the Grants, withdrew after the satisfactory reply from the Minister.
The House passed the Grants by a voice vote.