Chief Minister inaugurated 4 new horticulture colleges Saja, Arjunda, Dhamtari, Jashpur and Lormi Agricultural College including Food Technology College Raipur
New Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kondagaon inaugurated
Inauguration and foundation stone for infrastructure development works costing Rs 115 crore in agricultural colleges, agricultural science centers and new agricultural colleges
Promotion of improved farming through contributions from Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, agricultural colleges and agricultural science centers
Center for Studies on Agricultural Cost started at Indira Gandhi Agricultural University
Raipur, 20 January 2021. Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel organized 4 new horticulture colleges Saja (Bemetra district), Arjunda (Balod district), Dhamtari, Jashpur and Lorami agricultural colleges (district Mungeli) and new agricultural science, including food technology college Raipur, in a program organized at his residence office here today. Center launched Kondagaon.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel while addressing the program said that at the time of the state establishment, Chhattisgarh had only 01 agricultural college including Indira Gandhi Agricultural University. Today, 46 colleges of agriculture, horticulture, 08 research centers and 27 agricultural science centers are functioning under this university. Agricultural education from Balrampur in the north of Chhattisgarh to Sukma in the south A strong network of research and dissemination has been developed. Agriculture and allied activities are being promoted by the state government for the economic development of rural areas. For this, agricultural colleges and agricultural science centers have been included in the implementation of the government’s schemes. This will benefit the farmers in farming with advanced technology and developing economic activities related to agriculture, which will raise the standard of living of our farmers and villagers. Their economic-social status will be further strengthened.
In this program organized through video conferencing on the 35th Foundation Day of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Chief Minister Mr. Baghel inaugurated and laid foundation stones for infrastructure development works worth Rs 115 crore in the state’s agricultural colleges, agricultural science centers and new agricultural colleges. The Chief Minister inaugurated works costing Rs 46 crore 67 lakh and laid foundation stone for works costing Rs 63 crore 10 lakh.
These works include construction of agricultural college buildings, boys’ hostels, research centers, hitech nurseries, seed processing buildings, hatcheries, administrative buildings in agricultural science centers and farmer’s hostels. Mr. Baghel also released Digital Krishi Panchang and Krishi Darsika -2021 prepared by Indira Gandhi Agricultural University on the occasion.
Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Shri Ravindra Choubey, Food Minister Shri Amarjeet Bhagat, Industries Minister Mr. Kavasi Lakhma, Women and Child Development Minister Mrs. Anila Bhendia, MLA Mr. Amitesh Shukla, Mr. Devavrat Singh, Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Pradeep Sharma, Chhattisgarh Chairman of Mineral Development Corporation Mr. Girish Dewangan, Commissioner of Agricultural Production Dr. M. Geeta, Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi, Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Dr. S. K. Patil and Total Secretary Mr. Prabhakar Singh were present. Scientists, teachers and students of various agricultural colleges and agricultural science centers were also involved in this state-wide program, including 12 ministers and MLAs from 21 assembly constituencies.
The Chief Minister said that today 14 buildings of agricultural colleges, hostels and agricultural science centers have also been released. All these buildings have been completed at a cost of about 47 crores rupees. For agricultural colleges which did not have college buildings and hostels, we have approved the amount. The foundation stone for these colleges, hostels, buildings of Krishi Vigyan Kendras and farmers hostels has been laid for about Rs 63 crore.
The Chief Minister said that the manifesto promised to promote horticulture and forestry. To give a concrete shape to this, a Horticulture and Forestry University has been established in the name of Mahatma Gandhi. Positions for this university have also been approved. In the last 02 years, we have taken initiative to start 02 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras in Sukma and Kondagaon, which have also received approval from the Government of India. Today, Krishi Vigyan Kendra has been launched in Kondagaon. It is our endeavor that new agricultural science centers should be started in Gourela-Pendra-Marwahi and Saja this year, a proposal has been sent to the center for this.
The Chief Minister said that earlier there was no center for estimating the costs incurred by the farmers of Chhattisgarh in agriculture. From this year, a center is being started in Chhattisgarh to study the cost of farmers in the university. Approval of 25 posts has also been received for this. He said that food processing is a priority area of governance. Not only has the College of Food Technology been started this year, but for this college and Krishi Vigyan Kendra Jagdalpur, food processing incubation centers are also being started at a cost of five and a half crores.
He said that special attention is being given to the expansion of agricultural education by the state government. In the last 02 years, we have established 08 colleges. This year we are going to open 08 new colleges. In view of the trend of children in agricultural education, we have also increased the admission capacity. There has been an increase of about 20 percent seats in the last 02 years. Entry capacity will be increased by 10 percent from next year. The Chief Minister said that more than 7 thousand Gothanas are being constructed in the state under Suraji village scheme. More than 4 thousand gothans have also been activated. 325 Gothans have been adopted by agricultural colleges and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, including vermi compost manufacturing, mushroom production, quail farming, Kadaknath poultry farming by scientists, Training in cultivation of vegetables and flowers is being imparted. Under Bari development, about 8000 enclosures are being developed by the university.
Agriculture Minister Shri Ravindra Choubey said that the priority of the state government is to develop agriculture, horticulture and forestry sector in Chhattisgarh. 8 new agricultural colleges have been started in the last two rains. Indira Gandhi Agricultural University is contributing significantly in the development of Chhattisgarh. He said that economic activities in the country were stalled due to Kovid under the leadership of the Chief Minister. It was a privilege of Chhattisgarh that despite all obstacles, farmers, laborers and residents of Vananchal kept themselves connected to economic activities. In two rains the university developed the seeds of 34 new species. Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Dr. S.K. Patil gave a welcome address and gave information about the activities of the university. In the program, the Agriculture Minister presented the map of “Paddy to Rich Chhattisgarh” showing the aromatic species of paddy district wise as a memento.
