Chandigarh : The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today underlined that agriculture has always been central to the Indian identity and as a nation we can prosper only if our farm sector grows.Addressing a gathering during the inauguration of CII Agro Tech -2022 in Chandigarh today, the Vice President said that sustainability and food security go hand in hand.
“There cannot be long term food security without sustainable agricultural practices,” he stressed.Shri Dhankhar, who arrived today on his maiden tour to Chandigarh after taking over as the Vice President, described agriculture as a tradition and a way of life in India.
Referring to the strides made during the past 75 years in the field of agriculture, he stressed the need to adapt our agriculture according to new requirements and new challenges in coming years. “Innovation should become the key driver of agricultural growth and our farmers should have protection against climate change and price fluctuations,” he added.
Emphasising the need to generate sustainable incomes for our farmers, the Vice President called for more focus on food processing and value addition.Mentioning that the United Nations has unanimously adopted India’s proposal to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Shri Dhankhar said that in a world faced with food shortage, water scarcity and unprecedented climate crises, focus on millet cultivation comes as a smart solution.
Listing various affirmative steps taken by the government for farmers’ welfare such as PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Soil Health Cards, Fasal Bima Yojana and the KUSUM scheme, the Vice President said that farmers are backbone of India’s growth; care should be taken to address their concerns as well.
Calling for out of the box solutions for various problems facing the agriculture sector, he stressed the need to increase synergy between research institutions and industry.Dr. Sudesh Dhankhar, Spouse of the Vice-President, Shri Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab & Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Governor of Haryana, Shri Sanjiv Puri, Chairman, CII Agro Tech India 2022, CII representatives, farmers, entrepreneurs and others attended the event.
Vice President attends 3rd Global Alumni Meet of Panjab UniversityAfter inaugurating the CII Agro Tech -2022, the Vice President attended, as Chief Guest, the 3rd Global Alumni Meet of Panjab University where he underlined the importance of giving back to one’s alma mater, and through it, to the society at large.
Referring to the renowned institutions of ancient India such as Nalanda, he exhorted the educators, students and alumni to aim for regaining that past glory. Praising the Panjab University for producing many luminaries in the fields of politics, administration, science, industry and sports, Shri Dhankhar wanted the University alumni to help in building an ecosystem where all students get an opportunity to gain their full potential.
Praising the visionary National Education Policy- 2020, the Vice President expressed confidence that it’ll propel India on the path of greater prosperity.Shri Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab, Shri Som Parakash, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Education Minister, Government of Punjab, Prof. Raj Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, faculty, alumni and other dignitaries attended the event.