CSK HPKV Palampur turns 42

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PALAMPUR : B.K. SOOD 

Executive Editor

Forty-Two Years in the Service of Farming Community of Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (renamed as Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in June 2001) was established on 1st November 1978. It is the Indian Council of Agricultural Research accredited and ISO 9001:2015 certified institution. The ICAR has ranked this University at eleventh place among all farm universities of the country. The University has been given the mandate for making provision for imparting education in agriculture and other allied branches of learning, furthering the advancement of learning and prosecution of research and undertaking extension of such sciences to the rural people of H.P.
Over the years, this . It has developed human resources, varieties, and technologies and transferred these to the farming community enabling the State to receive the “Krishikarman award” of Govt. of India four times in a row.Academic Programmes:

The University has four constituent colleges. The College of Agriculture, Dr.G.C.Negi College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, the College of Community Science, and the College of Basic Sciences offer five Bachelor Degree programmes, 14 Masters Degree and 7 Doctoral Degree programmes. At present over 1600 students are on roll including international students from six countries and 14 Indian states. 8417 students have passed out from the university since its inception.

Research Activities: The Directorate of Research has been giving priority to the location-specific, need-based and problem-oriented research with the multidisciplinary approach at main campus Palampur, 3 Regional Research Stations and 10 Research Sub-stations.The University has developed and released 155 improved varieties of different crops for the different regions of the State. In addition, seventeen more varieties of different crops have also been developed and recommended to the State Variety Release Committee. Around 800 quintal breeder seed and around 1000 quintal foundation seed of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetable and fodder crops is produced and supplied to the State Department of Agriculture for further multiplication. More than 100 farm technologies have been recommended to the farmers. To enhance crop and animal productivity, the University has developed suitable technologies. For doubling the farmers’ income by 2022, twenty farm-based models have been formulated.

Extension Education: The Directorate of Extension Education conducts a large number of trainings for farmers, livestock keepers, farm women, rural youths, etc. both at the main campus and at its all eight Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has sanctioned Model Training Courses and various skill enhancement trainings sponsored by the Agriculture Skill Council of India are also conducted. Natural Farming activities are also being undertaken by all KVKs.

Prof H.K.Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, says that all-out efforts will be made to provide best possible facilities to the farmers and students. It has been decided to organize major farmers’ related meetings and activities amidst farmers. “All University plans will be farmer-centric in true sense”, says Prof Chaudhary. He also told that all those farmers who learn, adopt, and spread university technology among others will be suitably awarded and rewarded. Another area that will get priority is the conservation of plant, animal, fishery, and microbial resources of H.P.

Due to the sincere and strenuous work during the past forty-two years in the University, the State has achieved a new rank in agriculture. Despite the constant decrease in area under farming, crop yields have increased. The State has earned a name in commercial agriculture, especially off-season vegetable cultivation. Harvests have become plentiful and the socio-economic status of the farming community has improved a lot. Among the leading universities in the hill regions of the country, this University has emerged as a lighthouse for all. It is considered as a most peaceful institution in the region with a very conducive atmosphere to pursue academic and research activities.