Vet varsity inks pact to facilitate ‘Kisan Drone Pilot’ programme

Ludhiana, July 31
A tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana; ICAR- Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI -Zone 1), Ludhiana, and IQBri Verticals (IQVL), Mohali, for collaborating on the execution of the training programme ‘Kisan Drone Pilot’.
Kuljeet Singh Sandhu, MD of IQBri Verticals, said soon, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) affiliated Remote Pilot Training organisations (RPTO) would be opened in the state. He added the first centre would be opened at KVK, Barnala and that the IQVL aimed to train four lakh farmers. Dr Parkash Singh Brar, Director of Extension, said that in the coming decade agri-drones were poised to become indispensable agricultural tools, promoting up to 90 per cent water saving during spraying of insecticides and fungicides.
Dr Parvender Sheoran, director, ATARI Zone -1, said the MoU was first-of-its-kind in Punjab. Interested farmers would be able to avail the training at KVK, Handiaya, under the aegis of the PAU. Each training session would run over seven days and two batches would be trained per month. — TNS