Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates the plant tissue culture laboratory at School of Biotechnology, SKUAST, Jammu
Northern India Regional Agriculture Fair 2021 was recently held at SKUAST Jammu. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh was the chief guest for the event.
Enumerating the development initiatives taken in J&K vis-à-vis agriculture and innovation, Dr Singh said the establishment of North India’s first biotechnology park, two high seed processing plants at Kathua, the launch of India’s first Aroma Mission will open new vistas of growth, opportunities and innovation in agriculture in Jammu.
Speaking to the farmers present on the occasion, Dr Singh emphasised that a farmer can now engage himself in multiple activities depending upon his capacity, resources so as to become integrated as the working in silos is over now. Singh maintained that the responsibility of the government is then to facilitate the farmer in every way which is being done without any compromise by the present government.
Dr Singh urged SKUAST administration to promote 75 agricultural Startups from this university on 75 years of India’s independence on the lines of his Ministry which is also promoting start-ups as 75 young start-ups in science, 75 women start-ups in science, 75 SIT hubs dedicated to SCs and STs.
The Minister stressed the integration of the Institute of High Altitude Medicine, IIIM and SKUAST which should work on theme-based projects not institution based projects for the composite outcomes and no overlapping.
The minister further said that the proactive outreach for the start-ups is the need of the hour to get the best minds for the promotion of our products at the national and international level be that the basmati rice, rajma or other products.
Singh also emphasised sustainable agricultural practices and organic farming which is being promoted by the current government.
During his visit, the minister laid the foundation stone of the faculty club, main campus Chatha and inaugurated a plant tissue culture laboratory at School of Biotechnology, SKUAST, Jammu, a herbal garden (Sanjeevani Tapovan) and ceremonial planting, also inaugurated basmati producers and beekeeping conventions. The minister also unveiled the world bank-ICAR funded IDP project during the concluding ceremony.
Professor J P Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST, Jammu in his address said that the agriculture fair has been possible only with the support of the central government in which the farmers and start-ups of the northern states and UTs have fervently participated.
Dr SK Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner, GoI, Dr RC Aggarwal, DDG (Education), ICAR, New Delhi, Dinesh Kulkarni, Organisation Secretary, BKS, Professor Manoj K Dhar, VC, Jammu University, Dr Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu also attended the concluding ceremony.
