Third 'kisan sammelan' on Raisina Hills tomorrow

New Delhi, Mar 18 (UNI) Rashtrapati Bhavan is not a class room restricted to students who call on President A P J Abdul Kalam day in and day out! The herbal garden and the Mughal Garden within the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex atop the Raisina Hills will be virtually converted into a class room for farmers tomorrow.

This is the third year in a row the two gardens are being used for a sort of 'kisan sammelan' for farmers from across the country.

Over 5,000 agriculturists had turned up when the gardens were thrown open to them for a day in the past two years.

The exercise is aimed at educating the farmers that herbal and jatropha (bio-fuel plant) plantation is commercial viable, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said today.

At times, Dr Kalam, at whose initiative dozens of herbal plants and jatropha are being cultiavated in the complex, himself makes a brief appearance to interact with the farmers.

The two gardens will be open to farmers from 1000 hrs to 1600 hrs tomorrow. Normally, word is sent through agricultural institutes and district collectors about the gardens being open for farmers.

At the instance of Dr Kalam, the Mughal Garden is open exclusively for physically- challenged people for a day in a year.

UNI SN VD KN1620