Govt launches employment drive for Ramban youth

RK Kichlu

Ramban, January 30

To check environmental hazards like landslides and deforestation and provide sustainable livelihood to the unemployed youth, the government has initiated a drive in Ramban district under the Integrated Water Management Programme (IWMP) and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to increase the productivity of farmers and train youth on plant grafting skills.

Assistant Commissioner, Development, Arvind Karvani said a drive has been initiated in the district under the IWMP with the technical support of the Horticulture Department and the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture.

He said the drive was aimed at developing the farm productivity by way of top working/grafting of fruit plants and training the local youth in the art of grafting.

A two-day IWMP capacity building camp will be organised by the Rural Development Department in this regard on February 11 at Ramban, Karvani said.

“During the camp, detailed lectures on different aspects of top working/grafting of various plants like olive, apple, peach, pear and apricot will be delivered by the resource persons and technical support of Agriculture, Horticulture , Fisheries, Forest, Cooperatives, Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry departments,” he said.

The camp will be organised in association with the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture.

“Thrust will be given on soil and moisture conservation, rain water harvesting, natural regeneration, promotion of agro-forestry and horticulture, technology dissemination, encouraging people’s participation, creation of livelihood activities and promotion of production systems and micro-enterprises,” Karvani said.