Kisan Khidmat Ghars Inaugurated in Poonch to Empower Farmers at Grassroots

APRIL 21: In a major step towards enhancing agricultural services at the grassroots level, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Vikas Kundal inaugurated newly established Kisan Khidmat Ghars (KKGs) under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) across five panchayats: Kanuyian, Dara Dhullian Lower, Bhainch, Sathra, and Ajote.

The inauguration marks a significant milestone in the district’s efforts to bridge the gap between farmers and the agriculture department through the HADP initiative titled ‘Innovative Extension in Agriculture Approaches.’ A total of 100 Kisan Khidmat Ghars have been approved for the district under this project. Of these, two centres in Jhullas (Poonch) and Dhrana (Mendhar) were established during Phase-I, while the remaining 98—including the five inaugurated today—are being set up in Phase-II.

These KKGs are envisioned as one-stop facilitation centres for farmers, designed to provide seamless and timely access to a wide range of agricultural services. These include registrations on Kisan Sathi, enrolment under Daksh Sathi, e-KYC updates, soil health advisory, farmer and farm registration, guidance on agricultural schemes, weather advisories, and training programs. By decentralizing service delivery, these centres aim to improve the efficiency of the agriculture extension system and bring critical resources closer to the farming communities in remote and underserved areas.

Speaking at the inauguration, DDC Vikas Kundal praised the Agriculture Department for successfully operationalizing the centres in far-flung panchayats. He emphasized that the initiative goes beyond service delivery—it is also a platform for promoting rural entrepreneurship and generating employment for the youth.

He urged the Krishi Udyamis, who manage the KKGs, to serve the farming community with sincerity and dedication. The DDC also directed officials to prioritize the issuance of Input Licences for seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to these Udyamis. With these licenses, they will be empowered to function as authorized agri-input dealers, making essential supplies available at the farmers’ doorsteps and fostering agri-entrepreneurship at the village level.

The inauguration was attended by senior officers from the Agriculture, Horticulture, and allied departments, including Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer, Poonch, and concerned Agriculture Extension Officers.