POONCH, APRIL 09: District Development Commissioner (DDC) Vikas Kundal today conducted an extensive tour of the district to assess the progress of various developmental projects aimed at enhancing the socio-economic landscape of the region.
During his visit, DDC Kundal inspected several key initiatives, including the Mother Block Orchards and Revised Modified High Density Orchard at Block NSSB, the Crusher to Kotli Road at Chaktroo Sathra and the Multifunctional Common Facilitation Centre at Seiklu Mandi.
At the horticulture orchards, the Deputy Commissioner was informed about cultivation of 166 Apple plants in one kanal area by using the innovative trellis system combined with drip irrigation. It was further informed that more than three varieties of apples are being grown, which are expected to begin fruiting within a year—earlier than the typical fruiting cycle in Kashmir. The advancement allows farmers to sell their produce at higher market prices. The DDC urged the department to establish more such orchards across the district to further enhance farmers’ incomes and improve their livelihoods.
District Development Commissioner Vikas Kundal also inspected the progress of work on Crusher to Kotli Road at Chaktroo Sathra. The project is being executed by the Rural Development Department. He evaluated the quality of the work to ensure it meets the detailed project report (DPR) and engineering standards.
Later, the District Development Commissioner inaugurated the newly constructed Multifunctional Common Facilitation Centre at Seiklu Mandi under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) at an approved cost of ₹ 39.07 lakh. The facility will serve local sheep breeders, cooperative societies, Self Help Groups, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by providing value addition to locally produced wool through bailing, spinning, weaving, and knitting, ultimately producing finished products for marketing. This initiative aims to boost the economy in the sheep husbandry sector.
The visit underscores the administration’s commitment to addressing civic issues, expediting developmental works, and improving the overall infrastructure and living standards of local residents.
