Expansion of industries in Punjab

AT a meeting of the Punjab Legislative Council held at Simla on June 26, Sardar Jogendra Singh, Minister of Agriculture, announced a programme of expansion for the next five years both in agriculture and industries in the province. His speech on the subject shows that he is full of enthusiasm and hopes to achieve something that will really benefit the people and bring credit to himself. In regard to agriculture, he said that he would first establish model farms in every district and tehsil of the province in order to demonstrate to the agriculturists the advantages of intensive agriculture. The average holding in Punjab varies from four to seven acres and the object of the department will be to demonstrate what can be done on such a piece of land. Demonstration farms on a more or less large scale have been worked before, but their educational value has been limited. For one reason or another, agriculturalists have not been able to adopt modern methods of farming. Whether their inability is due to lack of capital, want of technical knowledge or patience and determination, it is difficult to say. It is, therefore, proposed to run experimental demonstration farms of the same size as the average holding of the Punjab agriculturist and show that he can, by adopting improved processes, grow more crops and derive larger profits. If this is actually done, the department will be entitled to the gratitude of the people. During the present year, such farms will be opened in nine districts and in the course of time they will be extended to all districts and tehsils.