Badal bats for nano technology

Various Punjab government departments have been exhorted by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to chalk out modalities for collaborating with the top organisations working on the uses of nano technology in the agricultural sector to enable application of its benefits in the state.
Badal was reviewing the prospect of applying the technology in agriculture during a high-level meeting with senior officers of the Agriculture and Horticulture departments and scientists of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) here, an official spokesman said.
Badal said nano technology would not only enhance crop productivity but also drastically reduce agricultural input costs.
He asked the PAU experts to explore the possibilities of effective implementation of this technology in Punjab through coordination with the world's top varsities like Cornell University (US), etc.

At the meeting, Badal reiterated the state government's commitment to introducing new technologies in the field of agriculture and allied farming for the benefit of farmers.
Experts at the meeting told Badal that nano technology could reduce acidic nature of the soil and attract earthworms to recharge its fertility levels, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, in connection with tissue culture research, Badal approved a Rs 4 crore plan to be carried out by PAU over two years and asked the scientists to intensify their research to develop a seed-less variety of kinnow.