Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal visits PAU to oversee preparation for maiden Sarkar-Kisan Milni, calls for making farming lucrative
Babushahi Bureau
Ludhiana, February 8, 2023: With preparations in full swing at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for the maiden Punjab Sarkar-Kisan Milni (Punjab government – farmers’ meet) on February 12, the State Agriculture Minister Sardar Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal called the meet the first-of-its kind in the country, expecting to see the massive participation of farmers ranging from 5,000-6,000.
Overseeing the preparations for milni’s success during his visit to PAU today, he said that the meet aims at making agriculture profitable, thus, leading to explosive growth in agriculture.
“Mitigating the effects of agrarian problems in the contemporary scenario is need of the hour,” stressed the Minister, while underlining the need for creating an optimistic forward-looking environment for the farmers who are the real experts of agriculture.
“The State government is highly concerned about the farmers’ conditions as well as issues and seeks to provide effective solutions through this meet by giving vital information and receiving necessary feedback from the farmers of Punjab, which will help in giving final touches to the agricultural policy that is set to be out on March 31,” he added.
Besides, the meet will witness discussions pertaining to various crops, devising strategies to bring farmers out of traditional paddy-wheat cropping pattern and suggesting alternative crops, expanding outreach to the agricultural community, and making farming a lucrative profession, he said.
Emphasizing on saving Punjab by saving its Kisan (farmers), Kisani (agriculture) and other Punjabis, the Minister stated that the day agriculture becomes profitable, drug menace will ultimately be over in Punjab.
Making a call for promoting cooperative agriculture in Punjab, Sardar Dhaliwal assured that the agriculture policy, involving the brilliant minds, will definitely benefit the farmers, their families and the agriculture at large.
“PAU has played an outstanding role in ushering in of Green Revolution and farmers look towards their institution as their guiding light that can pave the way for exponential rise in agriculture by keeping itself tuned with their (farmers’) needs,” he said. This University is teeming with novel ideas and together both the experts – PAU and farmers – can turn the fortunes of agriculture, he observed.
Present on the occasion were Madan Lal Bagga, MLA, Ludhiana North; Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor; Dr Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU;DC, Dr GS Buttar, Director of Extension Education, Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research and Dr TS Riar, Additional Director Communication, PAU.