PUNJAB GOVT inks MoU with Monsanto to jointly establish three centers of excellence in Punjab

Chandigarh, February 12, 2013:The Punjab Government today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Monsanto Holdings Private Limited to jointly establish three Centers of Excellence for the promotion of Cotton, Maize and Vegetables in Punjab.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the MoU was signed by Financial Commissioner Development (FCD) GS Sandhu and CEO (India Region) Monsanto Holdings Private Limited Gynendre Shukla in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here at the Chief Minister’s official residence this morning.

According to the MoU a long term partnership and collaboration in fields of Agriculture would be established for sustainable agricultural growth in the state, both the State Government and Monsanto Holdings Private Limited would explore the possible areas of partnership and to use collective expertise for the evaluation, development and implementation of practical solutions to enhance agricultural productivity in Punjab.

Highly appreciating the joint efforts taken by the Monsanto with the State government, Badal asked the FCD to immediate constitute a team of his officers and the representatives of Monsanto to finalize the sites for these centers.  He also suggested establishing Centre for Cotton in Bathinda district, for Mazie in Doaba region and for vegetables in Amritsar district.        

Badal said that the state had already prepared the crop diversification plan and these centers could play a vital role for the effective implementation of this plan through providing all technical know-how and by establishing coordination with the farmers at grass root levels.  He also emphasized the need to introduce the mechanical harvesting of the Cotton in the state.  

Taking part in the deliberations, CEO (India region) Gynendre Shukla and Executive Vice President Jerry Stinev (both) of Monsanto Holdings Private Limited, appreciated the concern shown by the Chief Minister and swift administrative actions for materializing this MoU. They also assured full cooperation with the State Government in a result oriented and time bound manner.

Prominent amongst others who attended the ceremony included Chairman Punjab Farmer’s Commission Dr. GS Kalkat, Financial Commissioner Development GS Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Gaggandip Singh Brar, Vice Chancellor Punjab Agricultural University Dr. BS Dhillon, MD Milkfed BS Sidhu and Director Agriculture Mangal Singh besides the representatives of  Monsanto Holdings Private Limited Melissa Augustin, Shilpa Nirula, Sharad Kumar, Rajnish Kumar and Baljinder Singh