AGRICULTURE

Farmers told about subsidy on godowns
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 6
The foodgrain production of the state has crossed the 250 lakh-tonne mark and the post-harvest management of foodgrains demands a major investment in infrastructure. The procurement agencies do not have enough covered space to store foodgrains in healthy conditions for long.

In view of this, the Ministry of Agriculture, has launched a credit-linked subsidised rural godown scheme. Although the scheme was launched in April, so far the benefits have not percolated to the rural areas. The withdrawal of the MSP in liberalisation era will definitely hamper the procurement and farmers may face problems in selling their produce immediately after harvesting. This situation demands storage of foodgrains/cereals at the village level.

To create awareness among farmers, to local Punjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) organised a programme on the construction of rural godowns today. Officials from various organisations like the National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur, the PAMETI, Punjab Agricultural University and banks, the director, Marketing Inspection (DMI), briefed the participants about the Centres credit-linked subsidy scheme for the construction of rural godowns in which there is a provision for 25 per cent back-ended subsidy.

The legal framework, financial aspects and the role of Nabard in the setting up of rural godowns were discussed. Farmers were also told about the methods of stacking of goods, pest control and disinfections, documentation for storage, quality assurance and the handling of produce. The farmers took a keen interest in discussion with the officials concerned regarding the loan scheme.

According to Dr S.P.S. Brar, Director of the institute, storage facility at the village level will enable the farmers to enhance their holding capacity to sell their produce at remunerative prices. The extra floor space of godown can be given to procurement agencies or others on hire basis as per the term of contract.

The function was presided over by Dr V.K. sharma, Registrar, PAU, while Dr H.S. Bajwa co-ordinated the programme.

Geet, ghazal, folk music contests held at youth fest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 6
Students competed in various categories in the Punjab Youth Festival here today. The function is being held at the SDP College for Women. The results are as follows: light music vocal (geet) — Sonia Ahuja, Government College for Women (I), Sarbjeet, MTSM College for Women (II), and Renu Bala, Ramgarhia Girls College (III); ghazal — Nimarta, Government College for Women (I), Arshpreet, Ramgarhia Girls College (II), and Monika, MTSM College for Women (III); and folk song — Jaspreet, Government College for Women (I), Gurtej, Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women (II), and Harmeet Kaur, Guru Nanak Girls College (III).

Group singing — Ramgarhia Girls College (I), Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women (II), and MTSM College (III); and individual prize — Arshpreet, Ramgarhia Girls College (I), Himani, Khalsa College for Women (II), and Satbir, Guru Nanak Girls College (III).

The chief guest, Mr U.S. Bhargava, Mr Balraj Bhasin and Ms S. Verma, with members of the management gave away prizes.

Students stage plays
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 6
“A state-level advisory board of the Language Department will be formed soon and a proposal in this regard has been sent to Mr Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab, "said Mr Harnam Dass Johar, Minister for Higher Education and Languages, while inaugurating a state-level play competition organised by the Language Department at the Government College for Women here today.

He said the Punjabi Language Department, in its endeavour to popularise books of well known writers of Punjabi, was getting their books published in Patiala and also looking into demands of Punjabi writers.

Appreciating the efforts of Punjabi litterateurs, he said, “works of some writers were outstanding and I am happy that they have been translated into many languages.” He said the Punjabi writers had not only excelled themselves in writing good literature but in other fields as well.

Mr Johar said though it had become mandatory since 1967 that all official work was to be done in Punjabi, yet it had not been adhered to. Late Beant Singh had enforced Punjabi as the official language in 1992.

He said Punjabi Week was being observed in different districts of Punjab and on November 7, function would be organised in Ferozepore. A state-level mushaira will be organised on December 6 in Amritsar.

The play, “Seedhi Rah”, staged by students of Dashmesh School, Faridkot, highlighting the present day corruption, was well received by the audience. Another play, “Sukhi Wase Muskeenian”, staged by students of Khera School Fatehgarh Sahib was also appreciated. Students of Government Multi-purpose School, Patiala, had presented “Bagene Bodh Di” while Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Putli Ghar, Amritsar, staged a touching play, “Jadon Mein Sirf Aurat Hondi”.

The RBDAB School of Bathinda had presented “Maa Di Loi”. The judges were Mr Amrit Lal Pal, Director All-India Radio, Patiala, Mr FC Shukla, a playwright and Mr Balwant Singh Bhatia.

Dr Madan Lal Hasseja, Director, Language Department, said to encourage the students, a cash price of Rs 1000, Rs 700 and Rs 500 would be given as the first, second and third prize, respectively. Prof Kulwant Jagraon managed the programme. Ms Balvir Kaur, Deputy Director, Language Department, Ms Kusum Ahuja, Principal Government College for Women, Mr Harpal Sidhu, District Language Officer and Mr Chetan Sharma were also present on the occasion.

National integration camp from November 9
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 6
Preparations for the national integration camp to be organised by the NSS unit of PAU, Ludhiana, to be held from November 9 to 15 are in full swing. Dr A.P.S. Mann, Director, Students Welfare, revealed that an advisory committee for this important event has been set up with Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor as the chief patron, Mr H.S. Kingra, IFS, Programme Advisor, NSS, New Delhi and Mr S.K. Sahney, Deputy Programme Advisor, NSS, Regional Centre, Chandigarh, as patrons. Dr Mann will be president and Dr K.S. Verma, Programme Coordinator, NSS, PAU, as organising secretary.

The other members of the committee are Dr J.S. Kolar, Director, Extension Education, Dr S.K. Mann, Dean, College of Home Science, Dr H.S. Sekhon, Dean, CAE, Dr Darshan Singh, Dean, PGS, Dr S.S. Sokhi, Dean, COA, Dr V.K. Sharma, Registrar, Mr Gopal Dass, Comptroller, Dr S.S. Gill, Additional Director of Communication, Mrs Hirdey Paul Kaur, Director, Youth Service, Punjab, Mr S.K. Kant, State Liaison Officer, NSS, Punjab, Dr Balwant Singh, Coordinator, TOC, NSS, Punjabi University, Patiala, Dr I.K. Garg, Head, Department of Farm, Power and Machinery, CAE, and Mr S.P.S. Deepak, Welfare Officer, PAU, Ludhiana.

Canadian traders to visit PAU today
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 6
Canadian Industrialists are keen on having an Indo-Canadian Agri-Business Chair in Punjab Agricultural University. A four-member delegation of Canadian industrialists is visiting the Punjab Agricultural University campus tomorrow to discuss the proposal with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh.

Dr Aulakh said here today that the university had prepared two proposals to set up the Indo-Canadian Agri-Business Chair in the Department of Business Management of the University, for short term and long term.

The short-term proposal would be for a period of 10 years and the latter for a longer period.

The university would ask the Canadian industrialists to set up a corpus fund for the long-term proposal so that necessary staff could be appointed.

Dr Darshan Singh, Dean, Post Graduate Studies, said under the proposal, the Canadians would be responsible for the identification of agri-business clusters in terms of infrastructure.