Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today reiterated the commitment of the UT administration to secure the future of 70 percent population dependent on agriculture and allied sectors.
He made these assertions while inaugurating key infrastructure projects and launching new academic programmes of SKUAST Kashmir, an official press release informed.
The projects inaugurated by the LG included Shalimar Convention Centre, Kohimaran Hostel and Discovery Building.
In his address, the LG reiterated the commitment of the UT administration to secure the future of 70 percent of the population dependent on agriculture and allied sectors.
He said the new Discovery Building will provide facilities of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to students and is crucial to achieve the vision of developing sustainable agriculture technologies to improve farmers’ income.
The LG commended SKUAST-K for adding “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” to its academic programs and creating an ecosystem of Innovations. He said the new academic UG and masters programs launched today will build a skilled-trained human resource for agro-based industry and agri-tourism in the future.
“SKUAST Kashmir is poised to emerge as a ‘Top Innovation Led Farm University’ in the country to transform subsistence and low enumerative agriculture into a technology-driven agri-economy,” the LG said.
The university has earned 25 patents in the past four years and established 26 startups, out of which 17 are registered as Pvt. Ltd. companies. In collaboration with IIT Mandi, SKUAST-K is also starting a B.Tech Artificial Intelligence course this year, he observed.
The LG highlighted the significant contribution of the farming community and all the stakeholders associated with agriculture and allied sectors in nation-building.
“Today, all the facilities and technologies like drones, artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things, blockchain, are being made available to empower our youth to realise the potential of the agriculture and food processing sector in Jammu Kashmir,” he said.
The LG also applauded the Vice Chancellor, faculty members and students of SKUAST-K in the implementation of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP). He sought their cooperation in further strengthening the ecosystem of agro-based industries and increasing the income of farmers.
The LG also unveiled the SKUAST-K’s working model of National Education Policy-2020 and planted a tree sapling on the university premises.
Prof. Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir; HoDs, senior officials, faculty members and students were present on the occasion.
