Jaipur, 8 September. Shri Bhaskar A Sawant who is the Principal Secretary of, Agriculture and Horticulture Department has been directed to issue work orders for all 25,000 solar pumps which was to be achieved under the Kusum Yojana by 30th September. Mr Sawant reviewed the procedure of the Horticulture Department in a meeting conducted at Pant Krishi Bhawan on Wednesday.
The Principal Secretary pointed to the fact that under the last budget announcement, twenty thousand solar pumps are supposed to be installed in the state. Work instructions have been issued for the setting up of about 22 thousand pumps. He also mentioned that for the remaining 3 thousand pumps work orders must be given before the due date of 30th September. After going through the micro-irrigation scheme, he directed that the farmers should be benefited by before time authentication of the applications received.
He said he was displeased about the districts with high pendency of verifications. He instructed the responsible officers to issue notices for clarification for the same. He asked them to pay special mind to the excellence of the stuff used in it and to take samples for quality control.
Arrange training and spawn for mushroom farming
Shri Sawant was instructed to work by making a plan to provide training and spawn (seeds) to the farmers to promote mushroom cultivation in the state. He pointed out the fact that a 40 per cent subsidy is being provided for mushroom production, spawn preparation and compost units. He asked them to act so as to increase the area of fertigation, foliar fertilization and automation.
The Principal Secretary directed to add to the pace of it. He reviewed the progress of public announcements. He also noted the establishment of new gardens and the utilization of micro-irrigation funds. He made sure that various schemes of the Horticulture Department including protected farming were being practised in abundance.
Target to install 50 thousand solar pumps this year
The Commissioner of Horticulture Department, Mr Abhimanyu Kumar praised the progress of departmental schemes. He said that in compliance with the budget announcement for the year 2020-21, administrative approval of 25 thousand solar pumps and work orders of 21 thousand 845 have been released.
Out of these, 17 thousand 530 pumps have been installed by supplying 18 thousand 808 pumps. He informed that the target of installing 50 thousand solar pumps has already been achieved by the Central Government this year. To take this further firm empanelment work is being done at the central government level. Instructions have been received from the previous empanelled firms to install 25 per cent solar pumps, for which action has been started.
He said that this year the target of providing drip and sprinkler irrigation facilities in a 1.5 lakh hectare area is being implemented.
