Shadow Correspondent
Anantnag, July 12:
NABARD in collaboration with Department of Agriculture launched saturation drive for Farmers producers organizations (FPOs) in Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
In this regard, separate district level programmes were held in Anantnag and Kulgam in which large number of farmers from various FPOs participated besides the board directors and CEOs of these FPOs.
On the occasion, District Development Manager(DDM) NABARD, Chief Agriculture officers of the respective district, District Agriculture Officers, Sub divisional Agriculture Officers and Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) were present.
DDM NABARD, Rouf Zargar informed that Government has launched the saturation drive for FPOs after the success of PMKISAN saturation drive which benefited the individual farmers. During the drive FPOs will be provided various benefits by Agriculture department in the form of licenses of Inputs, Seeds, fertilizer etc.
They will also be linked to Mandis, facilitated with registrations under GST, FSSAI and onboarded on platforms like ONDC and other E-retailing platforms for sale of their produce. The emphasis would be laid on banks to provide loans to FPOs for meeting out their credit requirements.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief agriculture Officer Anantnag Aijaz Ahmad Dar said that the drive would provide support to FPOs for availing various benefits under HADP scheme wherein FPOs can register for various components which are highly incentivized and meant to enhance the productivity through efficient & cost-effective resources & realize higher returns through better processing & market linkages.
In Kulgam, the programme was attended by District Agriculture Kulgam and members from FPOs promoted under Central Sector Scheme.
DAO Kulgam Riyaz Ahmad informed that licenses to all the FPOs would be issued through HADP portal.
He informed that drive would continue in each block on the sidelines of Block Divas. He urged the FPO members to register their FPOs on HADP portal and apply for various eligible schemes.
