The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Low MSP
Farmers give government agencies a pass
Our Correspondent
Tribune News Service

Khanna, October 9
Even as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal promised to urge the Centre to announce a bonus of Rs 100 and with rumours doing the rounds that farmers would get a bonus of Rs 40, several farmers at the grain market here are not ready to sell their produce to government agencies.

Private players are paying more to the farmers as compared to government agencies. Even two weeks after the government agencies started paddy procurement across the state, the private traders are making most of the purchases.

They are offering around Rs 720 to Rs 750 per quintal, which is Rs 45 to Rs 95 more than the MSP. A large number of farmers are looking forward to selling their produce to private traders rather than getting an MSP of Rs 675.

Pritam Singh of Daudpur village said initially they though that once the government agencies would start buying paddy, the rates would come down. But this had not been the case as more and more private traders were turning up at the local grain market to buy the produce.

As per records, the traders have bought around 30,666 quintal of paddy till today as compared to 8,864 tonnes bought by Pungrain, 3,782 quintal by Markfed, 7,883 quintal by PUNSUP, 2,208 by the Warehouse Corporation and 3,402 by Punjab Agro.

It is surprising that the Food Corporation of India has not lifted paddy from the grain market here, yet.

Market sources said most of the farmers were coming with PUSA 44 variety of paddy this year. Paddy was in demand by millers and thus the prices were not coming down.

Scientists visit PAU departments
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 9
A delegation of scientists and officials from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) led by Dr Paul Fox, research program manager, visited PAU today. The delegation comprised of scientists from university of Sydney, CSIRO and Western Australia, department of agriculture.

In an interaction with PAU director of research, Dr G.S.Chahal, the group emphasised long standing partnership between PAU and ACIAR. The director gave an overview of Punjab agriculture, pointing out areas requiring urgent attention and research based
solutions.

Later, the delegation visited wheat as well as genetics and biotechnology sections of department of plant breeding, genetics and biotechnology. Research plans for the project to be shortly initiated on “Molecular markers for faster wheat breeding” were charted.

The Australian scientists also visited the field experiments on marker aided selection and direct seeding in rice. In context of another collaborative project, the delegates also visited the department of farm power and machinery.

Placement drive at RIMT-IET
Our Correspondent

Mandigobindgarh, October 9
RIMT-Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Mandi Gobindgarh, arranged a campus placement drive by Onicra credit rating agency of India Ltd., in which management students appeared for the post of management trainee.

Principal of the institute Dr Pritpal Singh, extended warm welcome to Munish Kumar, state head, Punjab and Himachal, Rajnish Kumar, state head, Haryana, and other HR team members.

He added that this is the second placement opportunity for MBA students graduating in the year 2008. Earlier Centurion Bank of Punjab had visited and recruited 10 management students.

Harmit Singh Taluja, head of training and placement department, said the recruitment process started with company presentation, last followed by group discussion and personal interview. Seven students were selected.

PAU brings out book on flowers
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 9
In view of the persistent demand from the flower growers, the Punjab Agricultural University has published the second edition of a bulletin entitled, “Flower Cultivation and Landscaping”. The bulletin has been written by Dr Ramesh Kumar and Dr G.S. Sidhu of the department of floriculture and landscaping, PAU, and edited by Dr A.P. Singh. The title cover has been designed by Kulwant Singh Basra.

The bulletin covers commercial flowers, including gladiolus, marigold, chrysanthemum, rose, gerbera, tuberose, jasmine etc. and provides information on flower seed production, lawn and ground covers, dehydration of flowers. It also offers guidelines for selecting plant material for landscaping.

The bulletin is priced at Rs 15 and is available at the sale counter of the centre for communication, languages and culture.

Two-day play on female foeticide ends
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, October 9
Two-day play on female foeticide organised by Natak Kala Sangam, Mandi Gobindgarh, concluded last night. The function was inaugurated by Alak Nanda Dayal, deputy commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, which was presided over by All India Steel Re-rollers Association president Vinod Vashist. Laxmi Mittal, Tera Panth Mehla Mandal chief, welcomed the guests.

Adhikar Manch Mohali under the direction of Sahib Singh staged a play ‘Khamban Di Talash’. It was staged to create awareness among the people against female foeticide. Folk singer Chandan Bhagel presented songs depicting the curse of murdering innocent lives before birth.

Jagmeet Singh Sahota was the chief guest on the second day, which was presided over by Patiala Chamber of Industry chief, Dinesh Gupta. Industrialist Mohan Lal welcomed the guests. Founder president of the Manch Sohan Dhaliwal thanked the artists and the guests.