Selja proposes horticulture training centre for Sirsa

Our Correspondent

Sirsa, August 16

Kumari Selja, MP from the Sirsa Lok Sabha constituency, has urged the Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, to establish a horticultural training centre in Phoolkan village, Sirsa. She highlighted that Sirsa and Fatehabad districts are leading fruit producers in Haryana and North India, producing large quantities of fruits like guava, kinnow, ber and amla.

Selja’s letter emphasises that despite the region’s prominence in horticulture, there is a significant gap in specialised education and skill development. Students from farming families are often compelled to pursue unrelated fields due to the lack of relevant training opportunities. She proposed that the unused 100 acres and a large building in Phoolkan village, previously used by Kurukshetra University, be utilised to set up a regional institute or skills training centre, either under Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal, or ICAR Indian Horticulture Institute.

The proposed centre would focus on local horticultural practices, providing specialised training to students for directly benefiting the local agricultural sector. This initiative aims to address the educational gap, enhance local innovation and create employment opportunities.