Srinagar, Aug 4: High-density apple plantations are being promoted across Jammu and Kashmir, including North Kashmir, under the High-Density Plantation (HDP) Scheme of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP), the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The information was provided by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ramnath Thakur in response to an unstarred question raised by Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, who sought details on orchard development, GI tagging, export promotion, cold storage infrastructure and high-density plantations in the constituency.

According to the Ministry, the programme promotes high-density apple cultivation through the supply of quality planting material, trellis systems, micro-irrigation, anti-hail nets, land development, plant protection measures and farm mechanisation. The objective is to ensure early fruiting, higher productivity and improved fruit quality to meet domestic and international market standards.

Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), financial assistance is available at 40 per cent in general areas and 50 per cent in Himalayan States and Union Territories for up to two hectares per beneficiary, covering planting material and other approved input costs. Assistance is also available for orchard rejuvenation and components such as fruit bagging, weed mats, fencing and anti-hail protection.

On exports, the Centre said the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has undertaken several initiatives to promote exports of apples, black carrots, GI-tagged Kashmir saffron, walnuts and almonds from Jammu and Kashmir to markets including the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

APEDA has organised international buyer-seller meets and trade interactions in Srinagar and Jammu to connect exporters, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and overseas buyers. It has also supported the upgradation of the food testing laboratory at SKUAST-K to strengthen quality testing, traceability and certification. Applications for GI tags have also been submitted for Baramulla apples and walnuts.

On storage infrastructure, the Centre said five Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage units with a combined capacity of 18,500 metric tonnes have been established in Baramulla under MIDH. These include facilities operated by M/s Kachroo (3,500 MT), M/s Alpine Fresh Art (3,000 MT), M/s H.N. Agrichain Pvt. Ltd. (5,000 MT), M/s North Fresh Agro Cold Chain Pvt. Ltd. (5,000 MT) and M/s Nundreshi (2,000 MT).

The Ministry added that support is also being extended under the UT CAPEX Budget for establishing CA storage facilities in North Kashmir. Besides, 28 cold storage and cold-chain projects have been approved across Kashmir under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).

APEDA has further extended financial assistance to an APEDA-registered exporter for establishing an integrated packhouse in Jammu and Kashmir, while the National Horticulture Board released a subsidy of Rs 422.82 lakh during 2023-24 for a 5,832-MT CA storage project in Baramulla.

Year-wise data showed that Baramulla constituency recorded steady expansion under the High-Density Plantation Programme, with the area covered increasing from 13.12 hectares in 2016-17 to 58.036 hectares in 2025-26.

Overall, the constituency has brought 244.646 hectares under high-density apple plantations, benefiting 599 growers under the programme. KNO

Srinagar, Aug 4: Describing the eve of August 5 as “a dark night” in Jammu and Kashmir’s history, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday announced that she would stay the night at the party headquarters, fearing house arrest or detention ahead of Wednesday’s protests marking the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. She said the people of Jammu and Kashmir would continue their struggle until Articles 370 and 35A were restored and the Kashmir issue found a peaceful resolution.

“Tonight is a dark night for Jammu and Kashmir. We have come out to protest because it was on this night that a conspiracy was carried out and the special position that the Constitution of this country had given to Jammu and Kashmir—not China, not Pakistan—was taken away,” Mufti said.
Mufti said the PDP would continue its agitation until the constitutional provisions were restored and the Kashmir issue was resolved peacefully.

“We will not remain silent until there is a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. This is about our identity,” she said.

Taking aim at political discourse centred on statehood, she said, “Many people keep talking only about statehood so that people forget everything else.”

She also alleged that ordinary people continued to bear the brunt of security measures following militant attacks.

“When a constable is martyred, why are thousands of people jailed? Yesterday, two labourers from Chhattisgarh were killed. After that, thousands were again detained. Militants have fled their homes, but their family homes are demolished and employees are dismissed from their jobs. Thousands of our people are in jail. Nobody talks about it,” she said.

Questioning the government’s claims of normalcy, Mufti asked: “If they claim the situation has improved, then why don’t they send the Army back to the barracks? Why can’t civilians live freely? Why is there so much oppression?”

She maintained that the abrogation of Article 370 remained unacceptable to the people of Kashmir. “The people are silent, frightened and intimidated. But no Kashmiri can accept the end of Article 370 because it protects our identity, our land and our jobs. We will fight for it till our last breath,” she said.

During the protest, Mufti also criticised the alleged handling of demonstrators by the police, claiming a woman officer had manhandled her daughter, Iltija Mufti. “If she herself is a woman and laid hands on Iltija’s clothes, then she has made a very serious mistake. We were protesting peacefully,” she said.

Explaining the display of both the Indian tricolour and the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state flag, Mufti said: “Both these flags are ours. Both were given to us by the Constitution of this country. One flag was kept and the other was snatched away. Until it is restored, and until there is a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue, our struggle will continue.”

Mufti, however, said the restoration of Article 370 alone would not resolve the conflict. “I do not speak only about Article 370. We had Article 370 before as well, yet thousands of people were killed and enormous property was destroyed. Jammu and Kashmir is a political issue. India and Pakistan should talk to their people, address their grievances, restore what was taken from us, and allow Jammu and Kashmir to live with dignity,” she said.

Mufti said she would remain at the PDP headquarters overnight and protest there on Wednesday amid apprehensions that she could be placed under house arrest or detained ahead of the August 5 anniversary of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Srinagar, Aug 04: The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today addressed and congratulated the officer trainees of the Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management, Lucknow, who are on the field visit to Jammu Kashmir. The Lieutenant Governor highlighted their important role in shaping the future of the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) and expressed immense pleasure in interacting with the 69 officer trainees selected through the Civil Services Examination in 2022, 2023, and 2024 batch.

“You are the torchbearers of New India’s pace, capability, and resolve. The diversity of backgrounds among the trainees, spanning engineering, medicine, law, science, and the arts, and representing states/UTs across the country including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, and Chandigarh, reflects the soul of India. This diversity transforms into a shared national purpose during training, making the Institute a true laboratory of national unity,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor emphasized the key role of Indian Railways in India’s transformation. He highlighted the progress achieved over the past 12 years under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Electrification at record levels, the expansion of the dedicated Freight Corridor, the realization of the dream of connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the launch of world-class Vande Bharat trains, and modernization of stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme are hallmarks of this new era. It must be noted by the officer trainees that Indian Railways is no longer just a passenger transport system but the driving force of economic development, logistics efficiency, and national unity,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor urged the officer trainees to embrace their responsibilities as tough administrators and also as nation-builders. He also stressed the importance of efficiency in freight and passenger transportation.

“Every minute saved reduces logistics costs, strengthens industry competitiveness, and enhances India’s global standing. Officers of IRMS, IRPFS, and Accounts must balance administrative discipline with human sensitivity, ensuring safety, financial prudence, and public service,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor outlined three guiding principles for the trainees including continuous innovation through digital technology, artificial intelligence, and data-driven systems, citizen-first service with respect, accessibility, and sensitivity for all passengers and freight customers and integrity and transparency as custodians of unprecedented national investments in Indian Railways.

“India is moving forward with confidence towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. Your decisions, strategies, and leadership will directly shape the future of millions of Indians. I hope you will remain dedicated to the selfless service of Mother India, lighting the path to a bright and prosperous future,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Rahul, Course Director and Professor (Traffic Planning & Costing), officials and faculty members of Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management were also present.