Rs 78.92 cr utilised to rejuvenate 1690.5 hectares of saffron land in Pulwama

Srinagar, Jul 19 :  An amount of Rs 78.92 crore has been utilised to rejuvenate 1690.5 hectares of saffron land under National Saffron Mission (NSM) in south Kashmir district of Pulwama. An official spokesperson here today said that that the total saffron land in the district is 3,200 hectare and till date, 1690.5 hectares have been rejuvenated and Rs 78.92 crore were incurred on it, so far. He said that 361 weeders and 525 vermicompost units have been distributed in Pulwama district. “Out of total 109 targeted tube wells, 94 tube wells have been constructed, so far, for sprinkler irrigation system,” he said. National Mission on Saffron has been sanctioned by the Centre at a total cost of Rs 372.18 crore. The Mission aimed at Economic Revival of Saffron Sector in the State is proposed to be completed within a period of 4 years. He said 86 per cent of the total funding under NSM is being spent in district Pulwama on rejuvenation, strength of irrigation system, enhancing product quality, mechanization, providing infrastructure facility, establishment of quality testing and market facilities. Meanwhile, District Development Commissioner Pulwama has directed the Executing Agencies, Mechanical Engineering Department to speed up work on all ongoing Sprinkler Irrigation Bore Wells carried out under the Mission. He also asked the concerned Executing Agencies to complete construction work on all allotted Sprinkler Irrigation Bore Wells at the earliest so that its benefit reach to the intended target. UNI