Vasantrao Naik awards-2006 anounced

Mumbai, June 28 (UNI) Nimbkar Agriculture Research Institute of Dr B V Nimbkar from Phaltan in Satara district has been selected for the prestigious Vasantrao Naik award for the year 2006.

Announcing the names of the awardees, chairman of the Vasantrao Naik Agriculture Research and Rural Development Centre Advocate Nilay Naik and executive chairman Dr Jayantrao Patil said the Nimbkar institution will get an award of Rs 25,000, while all the other nine persons selected in different categories will get an award of Rs 11,000.

Mr Naik said the awards would be given at the hands of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on July one here.

He said the Nimbkar foundation has been selected for it contribution in developing various kinds of goat and sheep.

The other nine awards include Agriculture award to Mahatma Phule Agriculture University (Ahmednagar) Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajaram Deshmukh; Horticulture award to Vishwasrao Kachare of Solapur district; Social Forestry award to Gulabrao Wagh, Niphad, in Nasik district; Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development award to Warana Co-operative dairy, Kolhapur; Agriculture Journalism award to Agrowan, published by Sakal papers Ltd Pune; Agriculture Export award to Sanjay Holkar, Nasik; Water Conservation award to former Maharashtra DGP Suryakant Jog; Vegetable Production award to Rajendra Churi, Thane and Agriculture Processing Industry award to Ganesh Mhatre.

He said Mr Kachare himself worked as a labourer in Jawahar Rozgaryojana but now developed 145 acre horticulture land producing pomegranate, mango and other fruits.

Mr Naik said Mr Jog had taken all efforts of water conservation in Chikhaldara area of Amravati district.

Mr Naik, who had headed Yavatmal Zilla Parishad said Ganesh Mhatre, a resident of Digras in the same district has been selected for cultivating Amla and started a processing industry.

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