Training course for Army, Navy personnel begins at agri varsity

Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, on Monday inaugurated its fourth long-duration training course on “Protected cultivation and value addition of vegetable and horticulture crops” for JCOs and equivalent rank officers of the armed forces at the Directorate of Extension Education.

The programme is being sponsored by the Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR), Ministry of Defence, under its resettlement and skill development initiative for defence personnel.

The programme was formally inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor AK Panda in the presence of statutory officers, faculty members, and the training coordinators.

Twenty JCOs and equivalent rank officers — 14 from the Army and six from the Navy — have been enrolled in the course, which is set to end on March 27, 2026.

In his inaugural remarks, the Vice-Chancellor lauded the participation of defence personnel, exhorting them to take full advantage of the university’s modern infrastructure, laboratories, and field facilities.

He said protected cultivation and value-addition offered immense potential for sustainable income generation and entrepreneurship, especially for personnel transitioning to post-service livelihoods.

Director (Extension Education) Vinod Sharma delivered the welcome address, extending greetings to all dignitaries, faculty members, and the distinguished group of Army and Navy trainees.

He said the course was the university’s fourth long-duration training programme for defence personnel, and highlighted the increasing significance of protected cultivation, scientific crop management, and value-addition in modern agriculture. Sharma said the university consistently provided high-quality, need-based skill development programmes.