Agricultural Exhibition in Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad ( AJ & K): An agricultural exhibition was organized here under the auspices of the department of agriculture, Muzaffarabad.

The stalls of locally produced fruit, vegetables, and agricultural products were set up by local farmers and various units of the agriculture department. 

The landowners were given awareness and demonstration about agricultural farming, agro-medicines, and machinery.

Director of agriculture Khawaja Masood Iqbal gave a briefing to Minister of Agriculture Sardar Mir Akbar Khan about locally produced olive products. The minister of agriculture praised the efforts of the departments and said that connecting with the land is the need of the time.

He further said that agriculture is the biggest sector affecting the national economy, and if our needs are met at the local level, peoples’ economic condition will improve and the revenue of the state will also increase.

Director Research Khawaja Masood Iqbal,, Muzaffarabad

“We can complete the production of vegetables and meat at the local level, and in this regard, the department of agriculture will continue its efforts”. He said that women have an important role in kitchen gardening.

Speaking at the event, Secretary Agriculture and Livestock Sardar Javed Ayub said that Azad Kashmir is the watershed of the entire country and we are trying to make the Azad region a food basket for Pakistan.

Our mission is that every region should be able to meet the local demand. He congratulated the organizers for organizing the exhibition. The agriculture minister also gave shields to those who won prominent positions in the stalls. The farmers of Muzaffarabad, Jhelum Valley, and Neelam district had prepared stalls of fresh crops, fruits, and vegetables.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of Agriculture Sardar Mir Akbar Khan. While the secretary of agriculture Sardar Javed Ayub, Islamic Relief Representative Zeeshan Maqbool, Vice President National Bank of Pakistan Naheed Yusuf, Director Agriculture Sardar Zareen Khan, and others also addressed the opening ceremony.

Director General Agriculture Tariq Mehmood Bande and Director General ASMA Raja Gulzar also addressed the opening ceremony.

Director Research Khawaja Masood Iqbal, Deputy Director Agriculture Muzaffarabad Amina Rafi, and others were also present on this occasion.

Mahajans and Khatris not allowed buying land in Jammu and Kashmir//

/ IoK News /

Jammu (31 January 2021):  Over one million people of the Mahajan Hindu Community are not allowed to purchase land in Jammu and Kashmir.

A Jammu based organisation Central Mahajan Sabha (JCMS), had termed in December last year that the ‘new land laws’ notified  by the government of Jammu and Kashmir as ‘anti-Mahajan’ and against the spirit of equality before law.

Sabha said “In our country, any people, anywhere in India can purchase land but it is extremely sad that Mahajans of J&K union territory cannot purchase even one Marla of Agricultural land i.e. 1st, 2nd or 3rd rate land in this union territory whereas there is no such restriction on people belonging to other communities.”

Sabha also said  Mahajan community of J&K which is comprised of more than 10 lakh souls always played pivotal role in various fields and by their intelligence, honesty and hard work brought all round development in this union territory but it is a matter of criminal discrimination that they have been kept away from the field of agriculture.

 United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Jammu and Kashmir, also criticized the government for alleged conspiracy against the Mahajan and Khatri communities who are debarred from buying or selling Agriculture land in the J&K Union Territory.

Earlier , Rajiv Mahajan, Convener of UDA  termed this decision under new Land Laws  as a conspiracy and appealed to the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to look into the matter seriously and revoke this order at the earliest,.

People from the Mahajan, Khatri community while speaking to Cross Town News said that there were times when Mahajan Community was mainly Traders and now time has changed  and they should be allowed to buy and sell Agriculture land.

They said  new Section has barred “transfer of agricultural land to non-agriculturalists” and omitted the earlier relaxation of four kanals available in the repealed J&K Alienation of Land Act.

They said the Administration must take decision while considering the present scenario and added that Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, who are taking up objections to various issues must take our pleas also in to account for the overall development of the Union territory.

Source: Cross Town News