Horticulture Department programme in J-K's Udhampur to help ensure self-reliance of women

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 4 : To make the women self-reliant, Horticulture Department organised a 30 days training programme of preservation of fruit and vegetable at Horticulture Fruits and Plants Nursery Badolla in Bal Nagar area of Udhampur district on Sunday.
Aiming towards zero per cent wastage of fruits and vegetable, the programme trained women in the far-flung areas and remote areas to make them financially independent and self-reliant.
Director of Horticulture Jammu, Ram Sevak told ANI that, "We have organised a training camp in every panchayat to boost our ladies morale, talent and make them self reliant. Our commitment is zero per cent wastage of fruits and vegetables. In this programme, the trainees will adapt the processing of fruits and vegetables at home scales and improve their livelihood."
Talking about the scheme of the Central government, Sevak said that earlier the government used to give Rs 3,125 incentives to the strawberry farmers per kanal but now it increases up to Rs 13,000. The same ways, in plantation scheme the government used to give Rs 18,000 in the first year and in second year Rs 6,000 and the third year Rs 6,000 amounting to Rs 30,000 but now it gives Rs 50.000 per hectare in the first year of plantation.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for making India self-reliant a local Neha Sharma from Jib area said that through this programme we can be skilled up for establishing the pickle and jam businesses.
"Our Prime Minister gave us this opportunity so that we can use the excess fruits and vegetables and make pickles and jams from them. This can be helpful in making us financially independent," she said.
Mridhu Sharma, another local from Bal Nagar area of the district, also lauded the department for the programme.
"The camp is beneficial for women to boost their talent and make them self dependent as most women in the far-flung areas seem to be working in their homes," she said.
Sushma Rani, who works in a group called "Green Himalaya Group" asked people to follow PM Modi's appeal on self-reliance. "We should make the country self-reliant to move ahead. The department helps us whenever we are in need," Rani added.
Women from different parts of the area are participating in the programme.
In the training, different ways of making pickles and jams, marking of the products and preservation have been taught by qualified trainers. After the completion of the training, an appreciation certificate is issued to the trainees.