Himachal Pradesh government has asked the CSK Agriculture University (Palampur) to enhance its domestic income by increasing farm produce and selling it at competitive price.
Himachal Chief Secretary P Mitra said that the University was producing quality planting material and it has a demand among farming community and production of such material and other farm produce needs to be increased manifold and made available.
"For this the University may open an outlet in Shimla also," said Mitra, while interacting with Vice-Chancellor Dr K K Katoch and some other senior officers of the varsity here today.
The Chief Secretary also visited the experimental farm of Horticulture department, Dairy and Fishery units and also the modern veterinary complex in the University.
Mitra evinced keen interest in the fruit plant nursery and appreciated the good work there. He also visited the dairy unit and asked the scientists to educate the livestock keepers for regular change of buck to reduce inbreeding in goats.
He urged the farm and animal scientists to explore the possibility of establishing a goat farm in the University as it was "a poor man's cow" and represents around 23 per cent of the total livestock population in the state.
Mitra also asked the University scientists to submit projects under Rashtirya Krishi Vikas Yojna, especially in the areas of fishery and goats and appreciated the quality and facilities for the students and farmers in modern veterinary complex.
The Vice-Chancellor briefed the Chief Secretary about teaching, research and extension education and told that commercial vegetable was generating a revenue to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore annually in the state and protected cultivation has bright future in Himachal Pradesh.
The University was imparting basic four days training to all those farmers who were interested in establishing poly-houses.
The course content of the students was being modified by adding more courses on vegetable farming and a road map has been prepared to increase the income and reduce expenditure in the university, he said.
