DELEGATION OF UNION MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT VISITS PAU

Ludhiana, November 27, 2017: Sh Nagesh Singh, Additional Secretary accompanied Sh Atal Dulloo, Joint Secretary (RL), Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, New Delhi, were on a two-day visit to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to have first hand information on various machines/techniques being adopted by the farmers for the management of paddy straw and subsequent sowing of wheat, potato etc.

Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU, while interacting with the delegates, informed that all the machines/technologies like Happy Seeder, Straw Mulcher, Super SMS etc. being used by the farmers for paddy straw management have been developed and popularized by the University.

Dr Jaskaran Singh Mahal, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, gave the presentation about different machines/technologies used for the straw management.

Er Manmohan Kalia, Joint Director Agriculture (Engineering) from the Department of Agriculture, Punjab and other officials from the concerned departments of Punjab and Haryana also participated in the visit. An exhibition, showcasing farm machinery and other technologies, was put up in the Research Hall of the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU. A visit to the fields at University farms and Ladhowal Seed Farm was also organized to show the demonstrations of the technologies and machines used for wheat sowing in the combine harvested paddy field.

Dr N.S. Bains, Director of Research; Dr Ashok Kumar, Director of Extension Education and concerned heads of the departments were also presented during the interaction and visit to the fields.

Dr D.S. Bhatti, Additional Director of Extension Education and Dr Manjeet Singh, Head, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU, coordinated the visit of the delegation to the adopted villages including Kalar Majri and Ageti, which have shun the practice of straw burning. Delegates also interacted with the farmers of the adopted villages. All the farmers were of the view that straw retained as mulch or incorporated in the soil is much more beneficial for sustainable development of the agriculture. They also visited Punjab Biomass Power Limited in the village Bhagaura (Rajpura) where paddy straw is being used as biofuel.