Kulgam, Aug 20: Minister for Social Welfare, Education, Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo on Thursday toured several villages of Kulgam to assess damage to orchards caused by repeated hailstorms and high-velocity winds during the current season.

The Minister visited Harvaith, Nihama, Samnoo, Gopalpora, Lakhdipora, Tengam, Bathipora and Chogalpora, where she interacted with fruit growers and inspected affected orchards. Farmers apprised her of extensive crop losses, defoliation and damage to fruit-bearing trees caused by adverse weather.
She was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Kulgam Shahzad Alam, SDM Noorabad Bashir-ul-Hassan, Tehsildar D.H. Pora Zahid Ahmad, Chief Horticulture Officer Kulgam Mohammad Ramzan War and other officers.
The Deputy Commissioner briefed the Minister on the extent of damage and the steps being taken for assessment and relief. The Chief Horticulture Officer said a preliminary assessment had been submitted to the concerned authorities, while village-wise and asami-wise details were being compiled for further action under applicable SDRF/UT norms.
Sakeena Itoo expressed solidarity with affected growers and acknowledged the critical role of horticulture in Kashmir’s economy. She assured farmers that all eligible assistance would be provided under existing rules and said the matter had been taken up at the appropriate level.
The Minister also stressed the need for long-term measures to protect orchards from increasingly frequent weather-related damage. Officials highlighted the effectiveness of anti-hail nets, for which substantial subsidy is available under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and other government schemes.
Later, Sakeena Itoo inaugurated several facilities at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Nihama, including a 30 KVA genset costing ₹10 lakh, a 20-bedded inpatient ward and a CBC analyser.
The new facilities are expected to strengthen power backup, inpatient services and diagnostic capacity at the health centre, improving healthcare access for residents of the remote area.
The Minister said the government was working to upgrade infrastructure, manpower and diagnostic services at PHCs and CHCs across Jammu and Kashmir.
At Government Degree College D.H. Pora, the Minister distributed 500 dignity kits among adolescent girls. The kits include menstrual hygiene products, health-education material and other essentials aimed at promoting menstrual health, awareness and dignity.
The day's programme combined farmers’ relief, healthcare strengthening and support for adolescent girls, underscoring the government’s focus on addressing both livelihood and social welfare needs in rural