Punjab govt gives Rs five crore to agri univ for research

Ludhiana, Nov 14 (UNI) The Punjab government has released a grant of Rs five crore to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) under the Special Agricultural Diversification Research and Development Fund to take up key research schemes.

A detailed project report submitted to the government has been approved for the implementation of eleven specific schemes, for which the grant would be spent.

A PAU spokesman today said focus will be on breeding improved varieties of oil seeds and pulses with high productivity and nutritional qualities, developing export quality basmati, durum wheat, maize hybrids and malt barley. The other schemes include biotechnological application for improvement of field and horticultural crops, forage crops, development of suitable varieties for fresh processes and export purposes and standardization of production technologies of horticultural crops.

Besides this, some other schemes include re-nourishing soil health, efficient water management for sustainable production, identification and evaluation of oilseeds and pulse-based cropping systems of diversification and standardization of production and protection technologies in medicinal and aromatic plants.

Another scheme deals with integrated post management and technology, development of processing technologies and equipments for value added food products, machinery for mechanization besides resource conservation and crop residue. Part of the money will also be spent on miscellaneous activities like seed stores and implement sheds at Regional Station, Faridkot, for emergent need and technology generation and management of intellectual property rights.

This money for promoting agricultural diversification research has come after prolonged negotiations between PAUs Director of Research Dr B S Dhillon and state government officials.

UNI HS SSC PM1407