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20th, August, 2022

 

Topic: Appointment in Punjab Agricultural University

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

  • Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given nod for appointing noted agriculture exert Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal as the Vice Chancellor of the Punjab Agricultural University.
  • Dr. Gosal had remained in the Member Board of Management, PAU from 2015 to 2021.

 

About Punjab Agriculture University:

  • Established in 1962 to serve the state of erstwhile Punjab.
  • Inaugurated by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Prime Minister of India on July 8, 1963.
  • In February 1970, Haryana Agricultural University carved out by an Act of Parliament.
  • In July 1970, HP Krishi Vishvavidalya established at Palampur campus.
  • In 2006, the College of Veterinary Sciences upgraded as Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University in Ludhiana.
  • Modelled on the pattern of land grant colleges in US.
  • Has played a key role in increasing food production in Punjab state and ushering in an era of Green Revolution in India.
  • Has made notable contributions in increasing livestock and poultry production in the state.
  • In 1995, was adjudged as Best Agricultural University in India.

The PAU is a pioneer state agricultural university (SAU) in India for research, education and extension in India. The university has played a pivotal role in making the country self-sufficient in food grain production and is known as “Mother of Green Revolution”.

 

Punjab, with 1.53% geographical area, contributes about 60% wheat and 45% rice to the central food grain kitty. This is the result of path-breaking research at PAU backed by world-class teaching and extension services provided at the door-step of the farmers.

  • The university has recommended 809 varieties/hybrids of different crops out of which 173 have been released at national level.
  • PAU produced the first hybrid grain pearl millet in the world.
  • PAU has developed first Bt cotton variety, PAU Bt 1 in India. It has been released by ICAR for cultivation in Punjab and Haryana.
  • PAU has developed less seeded PAU kinnow 1. It has 3-4 seeds per fruit as compared to 18-20 seeds in conventional kinnow fruit.
  • Presently about 95% area under wheat and 60% area under rice in the state is under improved varieties recommended by PAU. The PAU varieties have been popular in many other states of the country as well.
  • The PAU is leader in conservation agriculture as it recommended conservation tillage way back in late 80s. The direct-drilling of wheat in combine-harvested rice residues by PAU Happy Seeder is a classic example of conservation agriculture in the country.
  • The university is pioneer in apiculture leading the state to produce 37% honey of the country. It is pioneer in successful introduction, establishment and development of Italian honey bee (Apis mellifera) in India during 1962 to 1964
  • The PAU is leader in farm mechanization and has facilitated the state as a ‘Farm Machinery Hub’ for the other states as well.
  • The university research scientists have made possible the crop cultivation in non-conventional seasons (moong, maize, sugarcane, groundnut, mash).
  • PAU is a world-renowned university with active collaborations with CGIAR institutes (CIMMYT, IRRI, ICRISAT, ICARDA, CIAT), AVRDC, University of Wisconsin, WSU, Pullman; OSU, Columbus; KSU, Manhattan; Purdue University, USA; Olds College, Alberta, Canada; University of Western Australia, ACIAR, Australia.

 

Recognitions:

  • Based on its contributions, PAU was declared as Best state agricultural university in 1995 by ICAR. First SAU to receive this Award
    The ICAR has set up five centers of Advanced Studies at PAU (of these 3 are now in GADVASU).
  • PAU was the first university to get special grant of ` 100 crores by the Central Government in 2006-07 for Basic and Strategic Research in Agriculture and as an acknowledgement of its role in eliminating food shortages and alleviating hunger: First University to receive as high as ` 100 crore Grant
  • First International Potash Institute (Switzerland) and Fertilizer Association of India (IPI-FAI) Award for transfer of technology in balanced use of fertilizer in 2010
  • First Agricultural University of the Year Award (Krishi Shiksha Samman) by Mahindra & Mahindra in 2011
  • Agriculture Leadership Award by Agriculture Today Group in 2015
  • PAU got ISO 9001: 2008 Certification.
  • Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding performance in Maize Research and Development? during 1957-2015
  • Certificate for Best Performance in Breeder seed Production of maize? during 1995-2015

 

PAU Rankings at National Level:

  • Ranked 3rd among all Agricultural Institutions/Universities by ICAR in 2017
  • Ranked 40th among all Agricultural Institutions by MHRD (NIRF) in 2017
  • Ranked 24th among all Universities by MHRD (NIRF) in 2017
  • Ranked 7th among all State funded Universities by MHRD (NIRF) in 2017
  • Ranked 3rd among all Agricultural Institutions/Universities by MHRD (NIRF) in 2017
  • Ranked 2nd among all Agricultural Universities by MHRD (NIRF) in 2017
  • Ranked 1st among Top State Universities based on total number of research publications by CII-ICI in 2017
  • Ranked 1st among Top State Universities based on a number of research paper citations by CII-ICI in 2017
  • Ranked 1st for development of Landmark Varieties by Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding in 2017

 

Contribution to Society:

  • The spectacular improvement in productivity of food grains has led to an increase in food production from 3.2 million tonnes in 1960-61 to 26.8 million tonnes in 2014-15. It led to considerable enhancement of farmers’ income in the state.
  • The state-of-art research by the university scientists in apiculture and mushrooms led to a spectacular increase in their production. The state presently produces 37% of total honey and 50% of total mushroom production in the country.
  • The PAU has been responsible for large-scale reclamation of saline and sodic soils (6 lakh ha) in the state, thereby rendering these fit for crop production.
  • Providing quality seed to the farmers for higher production has been an important component of PAU produces about 69,000 quintals of improved seed during 2015-16, apart from producing 3.18 lakh seedlings of fruit plants and 1.65 lakh seedlings of forest trees.
  • The high quality education at PAU has resulted in recognition of its alumni at national and international levels as Director General of ICAR, CSIR, ICFRE; Member NITI Ayog; Chairman, ASRB; Chairman CACP (GOI); DDG, ICAR; Vice Chancellors; Agricultural/Horticultural Commissioners (GOI); ADG/Directors of ICAR institutes; National Professors; DDG/Director, International Organizations; Union Minister, Govt of Kenya, etc.
  • The recommendations related to judicious and efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides in different crops have resulted in huge financial savings of the state and farmers. The integrated pest management (IPM) for cotton (1978), sugarcane (1995), and maize (2008) are some of the examples.
    The short and long-term trainings to the farmers/peasants of the state of the university has led to setting up of agro-based entrepreneurships in the state, thereby supplementing their income.
(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

Topic: Old age Scheme

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

  • Punjab government made a budget provision of Rs 3100.27 crore for the current year for the old age scheme.
  • Chief Minister Punjab Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government has distributed Rs 1494.76 crore of old age pension to pensioners till the month of July.

 

 

Giving more information in this regard, Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development Department Dr. Baljit Kaur said:

  • The government is committed to the welfare of people of all classes. She said that there is a total of 30,67,927 beneficiaries of various categories that includes the elderly, disabled, widows and destitute women and dependent children.
  • The cabinet minister said that men aged 65 or above and women aged 58 or above, whose annual income does not exceed Rs 60,000, are eligible to avail the benefit of this scheme.
  • The minister said that the financial assistance is paid directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, which are being linked with Aadhaar. She said, so far 96 percent of the bank accounts have been linked with Aadhaar.
(Source: Punjab Government)

 

Topic: Family Court hearing

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

  • The High Court to family courts: Hear cases against husband once a month.
  • Move to prevent frequent travel to another city for appearances on multiple days.

In a major relief for husbands and their families forced to travel out of station for proceedings related to matrimonial disputes before different courts, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that all matters filed by the wives in another city would be heard once a month to prevent appearances on multiple days.

For instance, if a husband resides in Chandigarh is facing cases filed by his wife in different courts in Amritsar, he would now have to travel there once a month.

 

Background:

  • The direction by Justice Sangwan came in a case where the wife was seeking the transfer of a matrimonial dispute from one city to another, on the ground that she was staying currently at her parental home 140 km away from the city where the matter was being heard. The petitioner claimed she could not, as such, properly defend the matter.
  • Appearing in person, the respondent-husband opposed the prayer on the ground that he was already appearing in other cases in the city his wife was presently staying. But he was also facing financial hardships as he had to attend the cases on multiple dates in a month.
  • Justice Sangwan asserted it was well-settled that while considering a matrimonial dispute transfer at the wife’s instance, the court was to consider her family condition, the minor child custody, her economic condition and physical health. The husband’s earning capacity was also to be looked into.
  • But most important was the wife’s convenience. The court was to see “if she could not travel alone without the assistance of a male member from her family, besides connectivity of the place to and fro from her place of residence, as well as bearing of the litigation charges and travelling expenses”.

 

New Directions:

  • Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan directed the High Court Registrar-General to circulate the directions among all family and other courts and illaqua magistrates dealing with different matrimonial cases in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
  • The Registrar-General has been asked to make it clear to the courts that they would in future accommodate the husbands and their families “with one date in all matrimonial cases in a calendar month, when the cases are transferred to a court as requested by the wife”. With this, Justice Sangwan has made it clear that a husband would have to travel only once a month for cases against him in another city.

 

Justice Sangwan asserted:

  • However, while balancing the hardships of the respondent-husband, who has to appear in multiple litigations on different dates, it is appropriate to direct the family court as well as the courts/illaqua magistrates, which are seized of the FIR case and the proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, to accommodate him with a single date so that his appearance in all cases is not more than once in one calendar month as and when all matrimonial cases are so adjourned.
(Source: The Tribune)