DST- UKIERI Workshop starts at PU

Chandigarh, January 5, 2022: Indo-UK partnership development workshop started at University Institute of Engineering & Technology (UIET), Panjab University (PU) here today.
The prestigious workshop is being jointly organised by UIET and Birmingham City University, UK from January 05, 2022 to January 07, 2022 under UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) in Hybrid (Physically/Online) mode with the support of Department of Science and Technology (DST) and UKIERI on the issue of “Solar pump based village microgrids – potential for tackling the energy/water/food nexus in Punjab”.  
The scientists, engineers, economists and political scientists from different Universities of UK and India such as PAU Ludhiana, CCSHAU Hisar, NIT Kurukshetra, PU Chandigarh, Jammu University, Govt. of Punjab, NABARD and BCU UK etc. would participate in the workshop. While following the latest pandemic protocols, few participants from India joined physically whereas remaining from India and UK joined through on-line mode.
Former Advisor World Bank and COO in UN Sustainable Energy for All, Mr Mohinder Gulati delivered the keynote address. Mr Gulati highlighted policies related to various World Bank supported projects such as Direct Benefit Transfer Experiment in Punjab and Rajasthan Study on “Grow Solar, Save Water, and Double Farmer Income”. Consequent upon, the important talk on Solar Power as a Remunerative Crop and SKY Implementation Experience was presented by Dr Shilp Verma, from International Water Management Institute.
Indian Lead Coordinator Prof. Yajvender Pal Verma welcomed the guests and presented theme of the workshop. He also presented a case study related to the technical and economic feasibility of a solar pump based microgrid system in the villages of Punjab. The lead coordinators from UK, Prof. Cham Athwal, Prof. Lynsey Melville presented the context of the workshop related to Village Micro grid.
The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. J.K Goswamy Director UIET PU Chandigarh. Delegates from UKIERI Miss Henna Jairath, Dr. Jaya Goyal, Prof. Sunil Labroo from New York State University, Members from Punjab State Technical Council and British council were present during the inaugural ceremony. 
Prof. J.K Goswamy Director UIET PU Chandigarh presented his views on the concept of the workshop and emphasis on the practices to be adopted for developing the smart villages in Punjab.
During the next three days, various experts from engineering, economics, Social Science, management start-up, industry and power companies will deliberate upon the issues related to energy/water/ food nexus in Punjab and come out with some practically feasible solutions to address the same.  The focus of the workshop is to address the issues of depleting water level and energy requirement for irrigation pumps in the state of Punjab. This workshop would also explore joint research collaborations with a potential of creating innovations and social impact through industry or society engagement. Workshop would establish new research links with institutions in both countries with the potential for longer term sustainability.