Haryana Govt to form committee to educate farmers: Kanwar Pal Gujjar
Shiv Kumar Sharma
Yamunanagar, July 21
The Haryana Government will soon form ‘Haryana Agricultural Committee’ on the lines of the Haryana Medical Council to streamline agricultural education and other related activities.
This move by the government will also curb the use of pesticides in Haryana and provide relief to farmers from the increasing costs of agriculture. This was announced by Haryana Agriculture Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar in a ‘Krishi Kalyan Sammelan’ held in Pratap Nagar town of Yamunanagar district on Sunday.
Stressing on the need of high tech laboratories, he said, “Our aim is to establish such laboratories where soil, water, pesticides and fertilisers can be tested for quality. These laboratories will also be capable of testing the quality of agricultural products at a global level.” Addressing the employees of the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments, he said that the Agriculture Department would also start world-class Technical and Excellence Centres like the Horticulture Department.
“These centres will focus on crops such as sugarcane, cotton, oilseeds, maize, coarse grains, rice and agricultural engineering, helping farmers produce high-quality seeds and products,” said Gujjar.
He further said that technology-driven offices for Agriculture Development Officers (ADO) and Horticulture Development Officers (HDO) would be established in the state, which would be referred to as Plant Clinics. He added that these clinics would provide all necessary facilities to farmers close to their villages.
He said a helpline number would be issued in every block for farmers to report their issues and block agricultural officers would be responsible for resolving these problems. The Agriculture Minister also inaugurated a Block Agriculture Office in tehsil complex of Pratap Nagar town.
He emphasised that before every season, agriculture development officers and block agriculture officers would verify the stock of seeds and fertilisers in their respective areas.
The minister said soon, various committees of farmers would be formed and around 20 farmers would be included in one committee. “These committees will talk to other farmers and provide them information on reducing the use of pesticides in the fields and on crop residue management,” said Gujjar.
