IIFPT signs pacts with 8 institutes of Punjab, Haryana

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 13

The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Liaison Office, Bathinda, on Monday signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with eight reputed institutes based in the states of Punjab and Haryana. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Ministry of Food Processing Industries Joint Secretary Ashok Kumar. Dr C Anandharamakrishnan, Director, IIFPT, signed and exchanged the MoUs with the VCs and Directors of these universities, colleges and institutes.

The universities, colleges and institutes are Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana; Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU), Bathinda; Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engg & Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana; National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal; Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research (IIWBR), Karnal; Sant Longowal Institute of Engg & Tech (SLIET), Sangrur; National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali; and Guru Nanak College, Budhlada.

On the occasion, Harsimrat Kaur Badal said it was the need of the hour to adopt scientific technology to compete on a global level. She urged farmers and entrepreneurs to take benefits from the Gram Samridhi Yojana under which the Ministry of Food Processing Industries had got Rs 3,000 crore for upgrade of technology.

She said everyone should work in collaboration with each other to increase the income of small farmers and such MoUs would open new opportunities for the benefit of farmers as there was great potential in the food processing sector. She urged the farmers to diversify their crops to enhance their income.

The MoUs are aimed at facilitating a collaborative programme of research, skill development, consultancy, institutional development, information dissemination and students’ in-plant training. The linkage hereby formed will further strengthen mutual bond and relationship between the partners.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal also honoured the successful entrepreneurs who established the business with the technical support of IIFPT-Liaison Office, Bathinda.

Ashok Kumar appealed to the entrepreneurs to take benefit of the research and development initiatives and schemes of the Central Government.

Dr Anandharamakrishnan said the IIFPT was a pioneer academic, research and development institution under the ministry. He said the ongoing research in different fields would certainly benefit the country. He said to set up a food testing laboratory in Bathinda the process was under way.

While replying to mediapersons’ query, Harsimrat lashed out at Congress ministers for criticising her for being present in “meetings of the SAD’s core committee, despite not being its member,” she claimed that it was the sole discretion of the SAD core committee whom to invite at the meeting and it was the internal matter of the SAD and the Congress had nothing to do with it.