SRINAGAR, 5 July 2025: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday reiterated the Centre’s resolve to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a hub of agriculture and horticulture, highlighting a series of new initiatives to support farmers and boost local production.
Addressing the sixth convocation ceremony of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Chouhan said the government was committed to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a prosperous Jammu and Kashmir with a strong rural backbone.
“Kashmir will be made a horticulture and agriculture hub,” the minister declared, noting SKUAST-K’s steady rise from a state-level to an international-level institution, as demonstrated by its fifth position among State Agricultural Universities in the latest NIRF 2024 rankings.
Mr. Chouhan praised SKUAST-K for attracting students from 30 states as well as from overseas, underlining its status as a globally recognised agricultural institution.
He emphasised that completing a degree is only the beginning. “Now is the time to share your knowledge with society,” he urged the graduates.
Highlighting agriculture as the backbone of India’s economy, the union minister said the Centre’s priority was to strengthen the sector to create more employment opportunities.
On the sidelines of the event, Chouhan told reporters that during his visit he was deeply moved by the hospitality and affection of the Kashmiri people, calling Kashmir the “crown of India and heaven on earth.”
Announcing new projects, the minister confirmed that the Centre would establish a Rs 150-crore Clean Plant Centre in Kashmir to improve the quality of apple plants, with support for private nurseries and a possible tissue culture laboratory for saffron under the National Agricultural Mission.
“The Centre’s resolve is to eradicate poverty in Jammu and Kashmir. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure development,” he said.
Appealing to the rest of the country, Mr. Chouhan invited people to visit Kashmir without fear, praising its culture of brotherhood and hospitality.
