Ludhiana, July 7
The Director of Extension Education, PAU, Mr S.S. Gill, has drawn up an exhaustive schedule of training courses in agriculture and allied fields to provide “knowledge input” to the farmers to increase productivity and their income.

It is also well established now that four years of primary education or schooling of farmers on an average enhances farm output by 8.7 per cent. This has been documented by Lockheed survey across 37 countries. This analogy found an echo in the survey by Janison and Lau, who observed that with increase in education level, the per year increase in wheat yield is 4.9 per cent.

The triangular equation between scientists, extension workers and farmers plays an important role in improving agricultural production and in rural development.

Consequently, the Directorate of Extension Education, in its training programme to disseminate production-protection technologies, has planned to organise 1,831 training courses during the current year.

Out of these courses, 289 are aimed at updating the knowledge of the field extension staff operating in districts or at 17 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, says Dr S.S. Gill.

Dr Gill further says that as many as 1,542 training courses are for farm women, rural youth and farmers. The duration for these 1,831 training courses varies from one day to one year, depending upon the objective and the subject.

These courses are held at the PAU campus in Ludhiana besides different districts. The range of courses is varied. These arch from crop production to beekeeping, plant protection to home science, vegetable and food production to farm power and machinery, dairy farming to value addition of farm produce and efficient management of natural resources to post-harvest handling of perishable items and taking care of farm residues.

Ludhiana, July 7
The plant clinic at Punjab Agricultural University has been stormed by samples of cotton bearing deformed leaves and shoots. This is due to the ill-effects of 2,4-D, a herbicide.

PAU scientists are advising farmers that this particular plant protection chemical or even traces of this herbicide has adverse affect on the crop. The farmers are being made aware that they should keep a separate pump to spray 2,4-D or thoroughly wash and clean the pump, the tube and the nozzle with washing soda solution before use.

Director of Extension Education, Dr.S.S.Gill, has said on the introduction of BT cotton a few years ago, farmers from non-cotton area have switched from paddy to cotton. While traditional cotton growers are well aware about other problems, the new cotton growers are not. And it is these farmers who are using 2,4-D contaminated spray pumps for spraying insecticides. This has resulted in the "deformation of tender leaves and shoots, thereby, adversely affecting the plant growth".

The farmers have also been advised that before undertaking spray, they should check the pumps and spray equipment for contamination with 2,4-D. This should be done before two weeks of spray by spraying on a sample of plant to check contamination. If symptoms of damage on the tested crop are observed, then they should not spray any chemical as there is no chemical available to nullify ill-effects of 2,4-D on sensitive crops.

Ludhiana, July 7
The proposal of the HRD Ministry to raise the retirement age of Central university teachers from 62 to 65 years has been welcomed by members of the Public Cause. Mr Yash Paul Ghai, Director, Public Cause, said it would help the government tackle the shortage of qualified teachers in the wake of the decision to increase the number of seats in institutions of higher education for reserving seats for OBCs.

Improved life expectancy, longer duration for acquiring professional degrees, late entry into service and other factors demand that the retirement age of university and college teachers in all states should be fixed at 62 as it has been the practice with Central universities for some years. The UGC has also made a recommendation in this regard.

Ludhiana, July 7
Rajinder Kumar, a teacher of garment technology in Government Girls Senior Secondary School, has received NCERT Award in Vocational Education from the PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education, Bhopal.

He has just come back after receiving this prestigious award at a function held in Bhopal on July 5. Mr Tukojirao, Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Madhya Pradesh, gave away the award. Present on the occasion was Prof Krishan Kumar, Director, NCERT, New Delhi.

Mr Rajinder Kumar talking to The Tribune said,"The award was constituted in 1995. So far , I am the third teacher to get this award from Ludhiana." He was given the award on the basis of results of plus +2 students conducted by the Punjab School Education Board.

He said both he and the principal of the school Kamaljeet had tried to get Rs 35 lakh aid sanctioned for the school to buy the latest machinery used in fashion technology, but somehow that aid was never granted. He said,"If we get the latest machines, our students will be able to compete with the best of garment manufacturers."

Ludhiana, July 7
Kirandeep Kaur of Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Model Town, has topped the BA-I examinations conducted by Panjab University. She secured 82.37 per cent.

“The teachers and Principal have always been very supporting and helpful,” she said.

Dr (Ms) Manju Chawla, Principal, congratulated Kirandeep on her success.