In a first for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Agriculture Department in Kathua district has launched a pioneering tea plantation drive in the hilly region of Billawar. As part of this innovative initiative, more than 20,000 tea saplings are being planted across suitable terrain in the area.
The plantation drive was formally inaugurated by MLA Billawar, Satish Sharma, in the presence of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Billawar Vinay Khosla, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Kathua Jatinder Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer Indu Sharma, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Ravi Sharma, District SMS officers Sanjay Gupta and Sanjay Sharma, officials from allied departments, former PRI members, and a large number of locals.
In his address, MLA Satish Sharma praised the Agriculture Department for launching such a forward-thinking initiative in the region. He noted that the climatic and soil conditions of the Shivalik belt in Billawar closely resemble those of Palampur, a well-known hub for tea cultivation. Notably, the tea saplings for this plantation drive have been sourced from Palampur in the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.
"This is a pioneering step that can transform the economic landscape of the region. If this pilot succeeds, similar plantation drives will be rolled out in other areas as well," Sharma said. He also commended the UT Administration and the Government of India for supporting developmental efforts in remote and rural pockets.
Highlighting the environmental and cultural value of tree plantation, he connected the drive to the nationwide green initiative "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0", urging citizens to plant trees in tribute to motherhood.
ADC Vinay Khosla described the initiative as a "path-breaking move" toward creating self-reliant rural communities. He encouraged the youth and farmers to actively participate in such ventures and emphasized the government's commitment to rural empowerment under the Mission Yuva campaign.
Chief Agriculture Officer Jatinder Kumar thanked the MLA for supporting the tea plantation initiative and outlined various farmer-centric programs being implemented under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), aimed at improving productivity and promoting sustainable agriculture in the region.
The Billawar tea plantation initiative is expected to open new avenues of employment and entrepreneurship for local farmers while enhancing the green cover and promoting climate-resilient farming practices in Jammu and Kashmir.
SDAO Ravi Sharma reiterated the department's round-the-clock support to the farming community and urged farmers to stay informed and avail benefits of various departmental schemes and technical services.
On the sidelines of the programme, agricultural machinery was distributed among beneficiaries under HADP. These included two tractors, one thresher, one power tiller, two brush cutters, and one reaper-cum-binder—aimed at promoting farm mechanization and productivity.
