The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

AGRICULTURE

3000 electronic milk testers for Punjab
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 6
To make dairy farming a profitable venture for young farmers, a comprehensive plan has been chalked out by the state government under which the milk procurement system would be made absolutely transparent by setting up a large number of automatic milk collection centers and electronic milk testers at milk collection centers at the village cooperative societies. As many as 3,000 electronic milk testers and 500 automatic milk centers would be set up by the end of 2005 in Punjab.

This was revealed by Mr Tej Parkash Singh, Transport Minister, while addressing an impressive function of dairy farmers organised to distribute bonus among members of the cooperative milk producers’ society at Dugri village. On this occasion, bonus amounting to Rs 4. 42 lakh for the years 1999- 2000 was distributed among 108 members of the society.

The minister asserted that exploitation of dairy farmers at the milk centers due to the non -availability of transparent milk testing systems would be completely checked and 500 automatic milk collection centers and 3000 electronic milk testers would be set up at milk cooperative societies during the next three years, whereas, at present there were only 900 electronic milk testers and 160 automatic milk collection centers in the state.

He said that with the installation of a new system, the farmers are bound to develop confidence and a sense of belongingness in the dairy cooperative system. Referring to the steps taken to comply with the international standard of milk and milk products, the minister said that the quality check measures at the village level have been installed with 26 bulk milk coolers to chill the milk immediately after collection at the society level. The government proposes to install 250 bulk milk coolers by the year 2005.

He claimed that the government had taken effective measures to save the milk producers from international recession and the purchase prices of milk had been hiked from Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg fat, in case of buffalo milk since April, and recently an additional 60 paise per litre of cow milk is being given to encourage the production of cow milk, so as to narrow the lean flush ratio, he added.

Mr Tej Prakash Singh said only diversification could improve the economic status of farmers of Punjab. He said that dairy farming had been identified as thrust areas for this purpose and the fixed targets would be achieved by way of providing better dairy farming and animal breeding technology to the milk producers and by way of diversification of milk product mix to fetch better prices for the milk of dairy farmers.

Lauding the efforts of the Milk Union, Ludhiana, for making a substantial profit by producing quality products of international level, the minister stressed upon the need to run dairy farming on professional lines and take utmost care of the animals. He also appreciated the efficient management by the office-bearers of the village society for raising the profit to all time high level and appealed to the people to further strengthen the cooperative network in the rural areas.

Referring to the false propaganda of the Opposition parties for abandoning the pensions and other welfare schemes, Mr Tej Parkash Singh asserted that all the promises made during the elections will be fulfilled shortly after improving the shattered financial condition of the state. He announced a grant of Rs 50, 000 for the construction of the new building of the society.

Those who addressed the gathering included Mr Bant Singh Doburji, former Managing Director of Budhewal Sugar Mills, Mr Hardit Singh, Deputy Manager of the milk plant, who is also the in charge of the improvement in the dairy farming in the area, Mr Sudarshan Pappu, president, MC, Doraha, Mr Nazar Singh, president, Block Congress, and Mr Harbans Singh, ex-sarpanch.

EDUCATION

PAU gets Rs 20 crore for research
K.S. Chawla

Ludhiana, September 6
The Punjab Government has allocated Rs 20 crore to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for undertaking research for sustaining agriculture and diversify the agricultural pattern in the state.

Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, said today that a high-level committee, with Dr G.S. Kalkat, former Vice-Chancellor, PAU, and Dr Aulakh as chairman and co-chairman , respectively, had been set up to prepare research projects and monitor their progress. The committee also includes experts from various national and international agricultural research institutes.

According to Dr Aulakh, a shift in the agricultural production system has helped in increasing production, but at the cost of depletion and degradation of our natural resources like soil, water, agro-biodiversity and environment. Extensive use of costly inputs like fertilisers, water, pesticides and energy, in addition to the decreasing size of land holdings, had resulted in increased cost of production, decrease in profitability and deterioration in economic conditions of farmers, he said.

Dr Aulakh said that concern was there about deteriorating soil health and water table in most districts of the state. The expert opinion reveled that Punjab’s water resources, in the long run, could sustain only 16 lakh hectares. The state would have to divert abut 10 lakh hectares from paddy to other alternative crops during the next 7-10 years to conserve natural resources, sustaining productivity and profitability for the farming community in Punjab. Technologies need to be developed through a focussed research for ensuring competitiveness of products in the quality-conscious international market, he added.

Keeping in view the fact that agricultural diversification was a pillar on which sustainability of agricultural production systems, conservation of natural resources, rural employment generation and poverty eradication depended, future challenges called for a shift in research and development paradigm to generate state of the art technologies about proper selection and development of crops and varieties, maturity period of crops to fit in different rotations, cultural practices, remunerative prices of the produce and efficient market system, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor added that research proposals to fund projects for sustaining agriculture would be formulated with objectives like identification and development of new crops and varieties for improvement of quality of the agricultural produce.

Priority would be on ecologically viable cropping systems and practices for maximisation of production and profitability, processing and increasing shelf life of agricultural produce, sustaining natural resources like soil, water, environment and biodiversity and to undertake socio-economic research.

The 12 member-committee, besides Dr Kalkat and Dr Aulakh, comprises Dr A.S. Dhatt, Director, Punjab Agriculture Post-harvest Technology Centre, Dr G.S. Chahal, Department of Plant Breeding, PAU, Dr J.S. Samra, Deputy Director-General, ICAR, Dr B.S. Dhillon, Director, NBPGR, ICAR, Dr D.S. Brar, IRRI, (Phillipines), Dr S.M. Sundram, Director Programme, AVRDC, Taiwan, Dr D.S. Sidhu , marketing expert, Mr W.S. Nijjar (progressive farmer), Mr J. Shara (progressive farmer) and Dr G.S. Nanda, Director Research, PAU.

Photography appreciation workshop in college
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 6
A photography appreciation workshop was organised in Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, from September 3 to September 5, by the Department of Fashion Designing in collaboration with the Sabhyacharak Vikas Manch.

Photo artist and writer Janmeja Singh Johal’s exclusive photographs were exhibited on the occasion.

The workshop was inaugurated by the Principal of the college, Ms Charanjit Mahal. In her welcome speech, she introduced the artist to the students as a multifaceted personality who was actively involved in representing life through photography.

Johal, who is engaged in the documentation of Punjabi life and culture since 1972, has also edited a book on photography in Punjabi, the first of its kind.

In his address, he enlightened students on the basic techniques of photography. His project, “beyond classroom”, is the first of its kind in the city. He presented his views by means of a slide show in which exclusive photographs of Punjabi life and culture were displayed from aesthetic, technical and scientific point of view. A studio was also set-up in the college to teach studio techniques with the help of a computer.

On the second day, the workshop opened with slide shows and a lecture by Dr Rajinder Singh Brar, a scientific photographer from the Department of Veterinary Pathology, PAU. His session was followed by an informative lecture by Ranjodh Singh, a travel photographer. He talked about how an ordinary scene, captured in the right mood, could become an exclusive masterpiece. On the last day of the workshop, Mr Kamlesh Duggal from the Department of Journalism, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, gave a lecture on the importance of photography in journalism.

Teachers’ Day celebrated
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 6
Students of Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, celebrated Teachers’ Day in the campus here today. The entire campus reflected joy and hilarity as the students bursting with enthusiasm greeted their teachers with flowers and cards. The hall was decorated tastefully for presenting a cultural function. Students of all streams — management, computer science, sciences, commerce and arts — presented solo dances, group dances, quiz, game shows, choreography, etc.

Students also made speeches highlighting the important role played by teachers in building their future and expressed their gratitude towards them. Their speeches were followed by Principal Charanjit Mahal’s address to thank the student for their heart-warming feelings. The teachers were overwhelmed by the respect shown to then. The day concluded on a note of cheer and gaiety.

Fatehgarh Sahib: The district-level-teachers’-day was observed in Divine Light International School Sirhind on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Prof Ashok Sood, Director of the school, highlighted the importance of the Teachers’ Day. He said that teachers’ held unique position in our society. He also called upon the teachers to inculcate in themselves a scientific outlook and commitment to high ideals of democracy, patriotism and secularism. He said that as education had to produce leaders of society in every field a great sense of responsibility rested on them. He said that a teacher not only imparted knowledge but also acted as a model by his pupils.

Earlier throughout the day various teachers’ and students’ activities were performed and an impressive cultural program was also conducted jointly by the teachers and the students. The gifts to teachers were also given by the management of the school.

Ahmedgarh: Students of Janta College for Women, Ahmedgarh, cut a cake to celebrate the occasion and presented gifts to their teachers. Ms Chitter Rekha Sharma and Mr Ashootosh Vinayak, Principal and secretary of the college, respectively, spoke on the occasion.

A similar function was organised at Jain Muni Shri Kundan Kanya Mahavidyalya where Ms Amandeep of class X was declared best among those who spoke on the occasion. Mrs Santosh Verma, Principal of the school, said teachers must remember their duties.

Students of Sanatan Vidya Mandir High School, DAV High School, Guru Nanak Kanya Mahavidyalya and Anand Isher Senior Secondary School also presented gifts to their teachers.

Seminar on insurance awareness
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 6
A seminar on “insurance awareness” was organised at the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology, Gujarkhan Campus, Model Town, Ludhiana, today for the students of MBA and BBA. The speakers were Mr Gautam Duggal, relationship manager, and Mr Vibhu Sood, sales manager, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd.

Mr Duggal enlightened the students about the various opportunities available for them in the insurance sector due to opening up of this sector for private players. He elaborated on the various aspects of the insurance sector and outlined the incarnative avenues available therein. An effort was also made to create awareness among the students regarding the functional areas by Mr Vibhu Sood.

The seminar was followed by a question-answer session in which the speakers answered the various queries put forward by the students.