PAU Imparts Training To Rural Women

Ludhiana, May 4, 2016: To equip the rural women with the allied agriculture enterprises, the Punjab Agricultural University's Food Processing Training-cum-Business Incubation Centre, Regional Station, Bathinda organized a one-week training programme on "Value Addition and Packaging of Fruits and Vegetables.” A total of 32 rural women participated in this course.
The rural women of various shelf-help groups, from the villages Badal, Mann and Gaggar, requested the Chief Minister of Punjab, S. Prakash Singh Badal to provide advance trainings in the preparation of pickles, jams, jellies and their packaging. The Chief Minister discussed this matter with the team of PAU scientists and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Bathinda. Under the guidance of Dr Ashok Kumar, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy) and Dr Jagdish Grover, Associate Director, KVK, Bathinda, trainings in beekeeping, tie-dye, value addition and packaging of agricultural produce, and bakery were conducted for the benefit of rural women. Dr Gurpreet Kaur Dhillon, Assistant Professor, KVK, Bathinda, coordinated this training programme.
During this course, Dr Poonam Sachdev, Senior Vegetable Technologist, PAU explained the basic concept of pickling and reasons for the spoilage of pickles, jam and chutneys. She also demonstrated the process of making mixed vegetable pickle.
Dr Preeti Ahluwalia, Packaging Technologist, PAU, addressed the queries regarding packaging of finished products.
Dr Jawinder Kaur Brar, Professor, Food and Nutrition, delivered a lecture on "Bakery for Beginners" and motivated the trainees to adopt bakery as an enterprise. She also demonstrated the methods to prepare cakes and biscuits, and encouraged the trainees to attend one-month training programme on bakery, conducted by the Department of Food and Nutrition, PAU.
Dr Paramjit Singh, Director, Regional Station, Bathinda, proposed the vote of thanks. Smt. Satinder Kaur, Lab Assistant and Smt. Harinder Kaur, Field Coordinator, helped in conducting the practical demonstrations.