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Shimla/Solan, Dec 9 (PTI) The next budget would have new provisions on natural farming with assured purchase by the state government to boost farmers’ income, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Saturday.
Sukhu said that given Himachal Pradesh’s geographical conditions, the upcoming budget would prioritise and promote natural farming.
Addressing the college convocation ceremony in Solan district on Saturday, the chief minister also emphasised the need for the state’s youth to embrace self-employment.
Sukhu conferred 23 gold medals to meritorious students at the 12th Convocation of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.
“Girls are shining in every field and this has been proved today as 20 out of 23 students receiving gold medals were girls,” he was quoted as saying in a statement.
“The state government is committed to empowering women, with women holding key decision-making roles and working as DCs and SPs in many districts,” Sukhu said, reiterating that the state government will provide 30 per cent reservation to women for posts of constable in the state police.
The chief minister said a committee has been formed to consider raising the legal age of marriage of girls from 18 to 21 years, emphasising the importance of women’s involvement in societal progress.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, also present on the occasion, exhorting the students to solve farmer’s problems.
“Until the research done by scientists comes out of the laboratories and books reach the fields practically, research is useless,” Shukla said.
Presiding over the convocation, the Governor awarded merit certificates to 773 students. Apart from this, 1,305 students were awarded B.Sc. Horticulture and B.Sc. Forestry, B.Tech Bio-Technology, MBA, M.Sc. and Ph.D and other degrees in horticulture and forestry.
Shukla said there was a need to further improve the university’s performance, which is currently placed 17th in Indian Council of Agricultural Research rankings.
He expressed his happiness that the university has introduced the Academic Management System. “It would help the university to follow best academic practices in education and digitisation and create a data bank of academic records,” he added.
The governor stressed on promoting interdisciplinary studies and international collaboration ,and added that intensive research with use of information technology would bring speed and quality in work in the changing perspective.
Vice Chancellor of the university Dr. Rajeshwar Chandel said that graduation and post-graduation courses in natural farming were being started in the university from the next academic session.
Later, the governor and the chief minister inaugurated a skill development hostel built at Rs 1.16 crore, and Vivekananda Yoga & Meditation Center built at Rs 40 lakh. PTI BPL SKY SKY
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