6th SKUAST-K Convocation: Centre will make J&K agricultural hub: Union Minister
Srinagar, Jul 4: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Friday that the Centre would make Jammu and Kashmir a hub of agriculture and horticulture.
In his address at the 6th convocation ceremony of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), the union agriculture minister said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a resolution of developing a prosperous Jammu and Kashmir and besides the development in rural areas, we will make Kashmir a hub of agriculture and horticulture.”
He said that the SKUAST-K had raised its standards from a state-level university to an international-level university.
Chouhan said, as per the NIRF ranking 2024, the varsity was currently the 5th best State Agriculture University (SAU) in the country.
“But, I am confident that SKUAST-K will soon be number one in this category,” he said.
The union agriculture minister said that the university was working with utmost dedication, and it did not have students enrolled only from J&K but from 30 different states.
“Students from abroad have also come here to get an education. This is not a state university but has become an international university,” he said.
Chouhan said getting a degree from the university does not mean an end to seeking education.
“Completing a degree doesn’t mean the end of education. It is the beginning of a new education. You attended lectures in classrooms, practicals in laboratories. Now is the time to share that knowledge with the community and the world outside,” he said.
Referring to the agriculture sector, the union minister said that this sector was the backbone of the economy across the country.
“The backbone of the Indian economy is still agriculture. Even today, if more people get employment, it is only because of agriculture,” he said.
Later, talking to media persons on the sidelines of the convocation ceremony, Chouhan said that during his two-day visit to Srinagar, he met people from different walks of life and his heart was enchanted with the love received from the people of Kashmir.
“The cool air, the smell of the soil, the natural beauty of this place, and beyond this, the love of the people here, Kashmir is really the crown of India and the heaven on earth,” he said.
The union minister said his visit was aimed at the development of J&K.
He said the Centre had decided to establish a clean plant centre in Kashmir.
“Kashmir is rich in producing apples, but there is a need for good plants. Yesterday, we decided to open a Clean Plant Centre worth Rs 150 crore in Kashmir. It will enhance quality and production,” Chouhan said.
He said that private nurseries that will be set up with it would also be subsidised.
“If need arises, a Tissue Culture Laboratory will be set up for saffron and the government will fully support it under the National Agricultural Mission,” the union minister said.
He said that the resolve of the Centre was to eradicate poverty from J&K.
“Our resolve is that there should not be anyone without proper shelter in J&K. I have come with the intention of J&K’s development. We will leave no stone unturned to see it happen,” Chouhan said.
He urged the people from across the country that people in Kashmir were waiting for their arrival here with open arms and hearts.
“People should come here without any fear, and people here will set a new example of brotherhood and love,” he said.
