JAMMU, MAY 25: Advisor to Governor, K Skandan today visited Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Jammu and inaugurated a three storey 110 bedded new Block of ‘Urja’ Girls Hostel.
The new Hostel building has been constructed over an area of 1765 sq meter at a total cost of Rs 5.00 crore funded by the ICAR & CAPEX Budget of the State Govt. The new building has facility of 53 rooms with spacious dining hall, recreation room, warden room, guest room, washing area and other modern amenities.
The Advisor took a round of the Girls Hostel and inspected the facilities available there. He was briefed about the ongoing work of 60 bedded PG Girls Hostel ‘Ujala’ which is likely to be completed by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the Advisor held an interactive session with the Scientists and Senior Functionaries of the University. At the outset, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu, Dr. K S Risam gave a detailed brief about the achievements made by the University during two decades which inter alia includes advances in the arena of Research, Education and Extension.
Dr. Risam apprised the Advisor about the recent initiatives in the field of medicinal and aromatic plants, dry land agriculture, doubling the income of farmers and training of rural women. He emphasized on the need of the establishment of new KVKs in the district of Udhampur, Ramban and Kishtwar besides establishment of Faculty of Dairy Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Division of Seed Sciences for which lot of progress has already been made.
The Advisor appreciated the efforts put in by the University Administration for its development. He complimented the VC and the University faculty for putting up a dedicated effort and assured all possible help from the Government in its future growth.
The Advisor stressed on to develop a vernacular Mobile Application accessible to the farmers of the region with requisite information regarding crop production, market management linkages, disease diagnostics and management.
The Advisor emphasized on putting strenuous efforts for making the utilization of soil health in efficient and a robust way. He asked for Geo Mapping of entire cultivated area for evaluating the crop density, crop wise area under cultivation, SWOT analysis and profitability.
He underlined the importance of preparing a Performa to evaluate the utilization of natural resource, challenges of the crops, resource profile of the area, livestock population and share of income from livestock and crop production so that market linkages can be developed.
The Advisor also shared his experiences with the Scientists and said that the researches on the market system are also required to be carried out to wane out the weaknesses in market related issues.
The Advisor was informed that the University has already taken initiative for production of quality seed and improve seed replacement ratio at the farmers field for enhancing the production and productivity.
Earlier, Director Research, Dr. J P Sharma, gave a power point presentation highlighting various activities / achievements of the University since its inception in the year 1999, which inter alia includes, administrative set up, faculties, functioning of KVKs, Research Stations /Sub Stations, student amenities, University publications, Experiential Learning Programmes, Research programmes undertaken, patents filed by the University, recognitions, budgetary allocations and issues relating to future expansion of the University.
During the interaction, the senior functionaries and Heads of the Divisions raised the issues regarding the hardships faced by the bee keepers during the shifting of bee colonies to different areas of state, prevention and management of zoonatic diseases and climate change besides host of other issues.
The Advisor also took a round of the campus and visited Baba Jitto auditorium, State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute.
Others functionaries of the University present on the occasion were Director Education, Dr. T A S Ganaie, Director Planning & Monitoring, Dr. Deepak Kher, Dean Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. D P Abrol, Dean FVSc & AH, Dr. M M S Zama, Dean Basic Sciences, Dr. S E H Rizvi, Dean Student Welfare, Dr. Rajesh Katoch, Registrar, Rajesh Talwar and Joint Registrar Academic, Dr. Bharat Bhushan.
