Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 24
Even though the National Medicinal Plants Board, New Delhi, has recognised aloe vera as a medicinal plant, Union and the state government authorities have failed to extend any institutionalised help to those engaged in its cultivation and preparations.

Preparations like gels and extracts are in much demand as these have been accepted as general skin tonic and medicine for treating chronic diseases like ulcers, arthritis, insomnia, hypertension and migraine.

Accusing the authorities of lack-luster approach towards their demands the entrepreneurs engaged in manufacturing herbal preparations out of it alleged that the successive governments had failed to provide technical know-how or financial help to farmers who opt for contract farming.

“What to talk of extending help, they don’t bother to respond to our enquiries even,” said MD Ish Gupta of Himalayan Herbal Product at Bhogiwal near here. Though, a representation seeking facilities for the units had been forwarded by the President of India office to the Ministry of Agriculture for necessary action, authorities concerned have not bothered to acknowledge the letter even.

We got similar response from the Punjab government, department of agriculture and the IWDP (Hills) II. The authorities instead of doing the needful suggested the applicant to go through industrial policy, he added.

“Your case was discussed with the FCD, Punjab. It was suggested in the meeting that you should go through the state industrial policy thoroughly and prepare a project report and clearly mention what concession your unit is eligible for under the state policy,” reads a letter received from the authorities who were supposed to guide the entrepreneur.

According to Gupta, hundreds of farmers in the state have supplemented their income by adopting contract farming. The crop matures in about three months and can be reaped every nine months in rotation. The extract of the herb contains a large number of nutrients, including minerals, amino acids and vitamins required for proper physiological processes.

Ludhiana, June 24
Vice-chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University Manjit Singh Kang is nowadays testing the capabilities of scientists working here as a result of which most of them are finding themselves in a tight spot.

The vice- chancellor has made them undergo "SWOT" test comprising strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. These scientists are supposed to asses themselves and submit the reports to him.

The vice-chancellor also plans to prepare “achievable action plan” for each individual based on his or her performance. Kang said: “Planning is always thinking in future. It is the right brain activity.” He has asked the deans and directors of the university to provide the past three- year performance reports of each faculty member to him. The faculty members are supposed to report about the research, teaching, publications and extension activities undertaken by them in the past.

After receiving the reports from faculty members, the vice-chancellor plans to organise department-wise brainstorming sessions to prepare future plans.They will have to undergo “SWOT” analysis at the department level as well.

The university offers personal promotion policy to faculty members. This policy is based on the basis of research, teaching and extension activities undertaken by individuals.

However, a few faculty members opined that this policy has adversely affected the research, teaching and extension activities as there is a feeling that the staff will automatically get promoted after a stipulated period.

Moreover, personal favours can also work while assessing teachers’ performance, they added.

Explaining the meaning of “SWOT”, the vice-chancellor says strengths are attributes of an organisation that in turn are helpful in achieving the objective. Weaknesses too are attributes of an organisation that don’t let an individual to achieve ones objective.

Opportunities are external conditions that help in achieving objective and threats are external conditions that are helpful in achieving ones objective. In it, each faculty members will have to submit a three to five years plan to the vice-chancellor pertaining to the research projects being undertaken by them.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 24
Terming the deputation of physical education teachers and DPEs on duties other than coaching students as a major reason for deteriorating standard of sports in schools of the state, Harbans Singh, state coordinator of the Sports Authority of India, has urged the heads of educational institutes to value importance of games for the students.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune after addressing a group of government school teachers from the block at M.G.M.N Senior Secondary School here yesterday, Harbans Singh alleged that the services of a majority of physical education teachers and DPEs were taken to maintain discipline. The tendency had developed due to the indifferent attitude of the heads towards promotion of sports in their institutes.

Budh Singh Ghungrana, district coach, and Pardeep Sharda, principal, asked the teachers to promote sports in their respective institutes.