Anirudh Tewari, Additional Chief Secretary (Development), Government of Punjab, visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today and interacted with deans, directors and scientists of the University. An exhibition, showcasing the initiatives taken by PAU during the last 10 years, was put up on the occasion.Mr Tewari visited the stalls of fruit science, vegetable science, floriculture and landscaping, pulses, oilseeds, maize, forages, wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, natural resource management, agricultural biotechnology, agrometeorology, farm machinery (crop residue management), food processing, extension and teaching. After visiting various stalls, he expressed his thankfulness to the PAU scientists for good information and lauded University’s accomplishments.Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, welcomed Mr Tewari and said the visit aimed at apprising him of the initiatives and strides made by PAU in agricultural research, teaching and transfer of technology during the last 10 years.
Dr GK Sangha, Dean, Postgraduate Studies; Dr Navtej Singh Bains, Director of Research; Dr JS Mahal, Director of Extension Education and heads of various departments of PAU shed light on their respective areas. The scientists explained in detail about the organizational set-up of PAU, its priority areas, awards and honours, inter-institutional research-extension linkages, new initiatives in seed production, varietal development through marker assisted selection, different varieties of crops, ongoing projects on sustainable food supply chain, agro processing and value added products having industrial uses. They also informed him about farm machinery for straw management, monsoon variability in Punjab, ergonomically designed drudgery reducing tools, protective clothing, utilization of agro waste and minor fibres, steps taken to prevent farm suicides, PAU farm publications, initiatives in teaching, National Education Policy 2020, etc.Later, Dr Dhillon honoured Mr Tewari and presented him a set of PAU publications. Mr Tewari also visited experimental area of rice and labs of Beekeeping, Tissue Culture, Mushroom, Biotechnology, Protected Cultivation, Farm Mechanization Research Hall and Solar Dryer at PAU.