AGRICULTURE

Decline in agricultural growth cause for concern
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 24
The progressive decline in agricultural growth in the country is a serious cause of concern for the country. While the overall GDP growth rate has been eight per cent, the agricultural growth rate has been just 1.5 per cent for last five years. This has come down from 4.7 per cent in the eighties. This is causing a serious rural-urban divide in the country in terms of economic prosperity, which can have socio-political repercussions.

Spelling out his concern during the sidelights of an 'International Symposium on Balanced Fertilisation for Sustaining Crop Productivity' at the Punjab Agricultural University here today, the Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr J.S. Samra, said, "The situation is quite alarming as 70 per cent rural population out of which 58 per cent is directly employed in agriculture, shares only 22 per cent of total GDP".

Dr Samra attributed several reasons for this disparity. Paradoxically, he pointed out, "progressive states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat and Punjab, known for venturing into diversification and introduction of genetically modified crops, are suffering as maximum number of farmers' suicides have taken places in these states". This, he said, should serve as a warning to Punjab for unplanned diversification.

He also expressed serious apprehensions about the land being provided to big corporate houses for farming. He said, safeguards needed to be taken that the corporate houses at later stage do not go for change in land use. Because, he felt, there were reports that the corporate houses were trying to channelise their profits through agriculture earning to evade tax on their earnings through other business since agriculture income in India so far was not taxable.

He said the economy of these regions in the country was surviving not because these had progressed in terms of agricultural growth, but due to the inflow of "foreign income by the exported manpower to Gulf, the US, Canada and the UK".

The ICAR DDG also expressed grave concern over the stagnation in the consumption of fertilisers in the country. He said there was no fresh domestic investment in the fertiliser sector, not to speak of foreign investment. Putting up a strong case for foreign direct investment in fertiliser sector, he regretted that this was being sabotaged by the "fertiliser lobby", which had been pocketing Rs 30,000 crore of subsidy every year.

He said there was no upgradation in fertiliser manufacturing as the urea was still being produced by the "mediaeval methods" using naphtha instead of gas. He said with the chances of the coming up of gas pipeline from Central Asia to India seeming to be bleak, the government should enter into a joint venture with gas rich countries. He cited the example of the joint venture with Oman, where some state-owned Indian companies are producing fertilisers which were 80 pound cheaper per tonne than what was produced in India.

Dr Samra disclosed that the indiscriminate rural credit being offered by the banks to the farmers was mostly being used for non-productive purposes like getting visas for illegal migration to the West, social functions like marriages and purchasing of luxury items like cars and other things. This had led to severe rural indebtedness, further leading to farmers' suicides.

He pointed out that the farmers were committing suicide in progressive states like Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and not in the eastern region like Bihar, Orrisa or Jharkhand.

Vedic declamation contest held
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 24
DAV Public School, BRS Nagar, hosted an inter-school Vedic declamation contest here yesterday. The contest organised by Ved Prachar Mandal was held to make the students aware of the Vedic heritage.

Mr Vinod Sharda, Zonal Commissioner, Ludhiana, was the chief guest. The function was presided over by Dr Prem Lata Gupta, Principal, D.D Jain Memorial College. The guests of honour were Mr K.K Seth, Mr Praveen Kumar Garg, Mr Narendra Singh Bhalla, Mr Randhir Sharma, Ms Beena Sharma and Mr Shukaal Kumar. The Principal welcomed the chief guest and the function began with Jyoti Prajwalan. This was followed by a bhajan by students.

Seventeen schools of the city participated in the declamation contest. The judges of the event were Ms Kusum Verma, Dr Nirottama Modgil and Dr Shiv Mohan Sharma. The speakers were enthusiastic and confident and put forth their views on the current social issues.

Priyanka of DAV School stood first while Gaurav Madan of BVM Udham Singh Nagar and Abhishek Gupta of BVM Kitchlu Nagar shared the second position.

Third prize shared by Sameeksha and Manpreet Kaur of KVM and GGN Khalsa Public School respectively. Jitesh of BVM Dugri and Simran Arora of GNIPS were declared fourth.

Dazzling fete at Harkrishan school
Our Correspondent

Doraha, November 24
Shri Guru Harkrishan Public School organised a fete, the-first-of-its-kind in the area, here today.

Ms Gurnam Kaur, president, Municipal Council, Doraha, who inaugurated the fete, congratulated the management of the school, including Ms Umil Kaur, Director, Ms Manjula, Principal, and Ms Manju Shah Vinayak, coordinator of the show, for organising the programme on a grand scale.

A cultural programme that was organised in the afternoon was presided over by Dr Gursharan Sidhu, a renowned surgeon of the area.

Dr Sidhu had a word of commendation for the participants who presented various cultural items, including giddha, bhangra and patriotic songs, to add fervour and colour to the already colourful gathering.

She said it was a unique and constructive effort of the school to enable the students to enjoy various games and cultural items on one hand and on the other hand to let the guests and parents be a part of the activities being conducted at the show and the talent being presented by their kids.

Various games, merry-go rounds, jumpies, roller coaster bore special attraction for the children who had a great fun throughout the day.

The attraction towards the stalls carrying eatables was no less. Lucky draw was another attraction of the programme.

Matric students given guidance
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 24
|An educational-and-vocational-guidance camp was organised by BCM College of Education at Government High School, Salem Tabri, here on Wednesday. The teachers, Mrs Harpreet and Mrs Manminder from the college, guided the students of class X.

The Principal, Mr Ranjit Singh, appreciated the efforts by BCM College in providing extension services to various schools. The students interacted with the teachers who cleared their doubts.

Macchiwara girl sings her way into final
Our Correspondent

Machhiwara, November 24
Mandeep Kaur, a student of BA-I of local National College for Women, has entered the final round of 'Punjab Da Super Star' being organised by ETC-Punjabi. Earlier, she had topped the semifinals held at Bathinda.

Mandeep Kaur seems to have inherited her wonderful sweet voice from her father, Niranjan Singh Noor, who is also a renowned 'Dhadi' of the area.

Before that, she had brought laurels to the National College for Women in the recently held zonal youth festival of Punjab University at SD Govt College, Ludhiana.

She secured the first position in 'kali singing' and 'kavishri' contests and won the second prize in folk-song singing as well. Apart from it she bagged the third position in the 'kali singing' at the inter-zone contents held at Chandigarh.

A few days back her elder brother, Gurpreet Singh, who studies in MA-I at Gurmit College, Patiala, has bagged first prizes in sarangi vadan (solo) and khial vadan and got the second place in shabad kirtan in the inter-college and inter-university contests.

Now it remains to be seen how Mandeep Kaur performs in the finals of ‘Punjab Da Super Star’ to be held at Kalagram, Chandigarh, on November 25 which is likely to be telecast live from 6.30 pm onwards by ETC Punjabi.

It is worth mentioning that one boy and one girl would be chosen out of 6boys and 6 girls who have qualified for the finals. If you want to cast your vote in favour of Mandeep, you can send your message at 7575 after typing PDSS 12.