Nabard calls for farmer-friendly policy in J&K

Agriculture and Rural development bank Nabard today called for farmer-friendly policies and increase in investments to give boost to the agriculture sector in Jammu and Kashmir, which is the mainstay of the state.
Asserting that nothing much has been done by the respective government after the land-to-tiller mega decision of former Chief Minister Sheikh Mohmmad Abdullah, a senior Nabard official said that there was a need for carrying forward the programme of land reforms in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Sheikh Abdullah has done commendable job by decision of land to tillers in Jammu and Kashmir. After that nothing much has been done on the land issues (by the respective government in J&K)," National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) Chief General Manager B G Mukhopadhyay said .

"There was need to carry forward the programme of land reforms in Jammu and Kashmir. This is possible by integrating land question with institutional credit, agriculture technology and marketing reforms for 'farmers friendly' policymaking in J&K,", he said.
He was speaking at a seminar organised by Nabard on 'Land question-Agriculture credit, Technology and Marketing Reforms for Inclusive Growth in Jammu and Kashmir' here, in which state's Governor N N Vohra was Chief Guest.
The main objective of the seminar was to initiate a policy debate on taking the radical land reforms programmes of Sheikh Abdulalh forward in the 21st Century.

Mukhopadhyay said: "Nothing much has been done in terms of digitisation of land records, proper recording systems, property rights, amid use of technology and marketing reforms. These things should be taken up so that inclusive growth can happen."

"In Many areas investment for Jammu and Kashmir is very low -- they have no been able to achieve 4 percent of growth -- we wanted that investments should take place," he added.
On investment, he said: "Either it should come from public sector or private sector -- public sector it is very less and for private sector, the restriction has to be withdrawn for example APMCR -- it is to be amended or withdrawn."

Mukhopadhyay discussed the rationale and logic for organising seminar, state of Agrarian economy of Jammu and Kashmir, huge capital deficit and investment gap in agriculture, other aspects of credit and agriculture and expected policy related outcomes of deliberations in the seminar.