24/07/2025
*Tea Plantation Drive Launched in Billawar – A First for J&K UT*
_Agriculture Department Kathua Launches Green Initiative_
*Billawar, Kathua | July 24:* In a historic development for agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir, the Agriculture Department Kathua launched the Union Territory’s first-ever tea plantation drive at Billawar. Under this landmark initiative, 20,000 tea saplings are being planted, with the efforts led by Hon’ble MLA Billawar, Satish Sharma, who formally inaugurated the drive.
The event witnessed the presence of several senior officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Billawar Vinay Khosla, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Kathua Jatinder Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Billawar Indu Sharma, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO) Ravi Sharma, District SMS Sanjay Gupta, SMS Sanjay Sharma, officers from allied departments, Ex-PRI members, and a large gathering of locals.
While addressing the gathering, MLA Sh. Satish Sharma emphasized the need to promote Jammu’s agricultural and horticultural potential. He highlighted that the climate of Billawar and the entire Shivalik range closely resembles that of Palampur—renowned for tea cultivation—and therefore holds immense potential for successful tea farming. He informed that the saplings used for this initiative were sourced directly from Palampur.
The MLA appreciated the efforts of the Agriculture Department for taking up such an innovative initiative and thanked the UT Administration and the Central Government for their continued support in promoting agri-based development in remote and hilly regions like Billawar.
Calling for public support, the MLA appealed to locals to work with dedication and ownership. “If this project succeeds, we will organize more such plantation drives across the region,” he said. He also spoke on the significance of the green initiative "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0", encouraging everyone to plant trees as a tribute to motherhood.
ADC Vinay Khosla, while speaking to the public, termed such projects as instrumental in creating self-reliant communities. He appealed to the youth and farmers to actively participate in such initiatives and also spoke about the government's flagship campaign "Mission Yuva", aimed at youth empowerment and rural development.
CAO Jatinder Kumar acknowledged that the tea plantation drive was made possible through the personal initiative of the MLA and elaborated on various farmer-centric schemes under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).
SDAO Ravi Sharma also addressed the gathering and reiterated the department’s commitment to assist the farming community 24×7. He encouraged farmers to reach out for any technical support or scheme-related queries.
Adding further value to the event, agricultural machinery was distributed among HADP scheme beneficiaries, which included: 2 Tractors,1 Thresher, 1 Power Tiller, 2 Brush Cutters, 1 Reaper-cum-Binder
