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Climate change is posing renewed challenge for farmers: PAU vice-chancellor
The vice-chancellor was accorded a warm welcome by former PAU vice-chancellors SS Johl, KS Aulakh, MS Kang, BS Dhillon and World Food Prize laureate GS Khush. Former additional director research JS Dhiman, senior officials and faculty of PAU,Ludhiana, and president and members of PAU Kisan Club were also present on the occasion. He also visited the gate number 1 of the campus to meet students who have been protesting against the state government
Satbir Singh Gosal, an agricultural biotechnologist, took charge as the 12th vice- chancellor (V-C) of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Saturday.
Gosal was accorded a warm welcome by former PAU vice-chancellors SS Johl, KS Aulakh, MS Kang, BS Dhillon and World Food Prize laureate GS Khush. Former additional director research JS Dhiman, senior officials and faculty of PAU, and president and members of PAU Kisan Club were also present on the occasion.
Gosal said farmers of the state were facing renewed challenges. “Besides pest attack, climate change is posing a challenge for agriculture. The sudden rise in temperature has led to fall in wheat yield this year. Similarly, we are witnessing heavy rainfall and cloud burst and extreme dip in temperature which is affecting their production during the winter season. We need to seriously work on this aspect to increase farmers’ income,” he said.
Gosal stressed that the university had to look for other alternatives to generate funds, “It is not that the university is not receiving grants. Last year, the government had issued ₹422-crore to the institution. But our expenses are high. A lot of money is being spent on disbursing salaries. We have to look for new avenues to generate funds,” he added.
Gosal has served the university in various capacities, including professor of biotechnology; head, department of biotechnology; founder director, School of Agricultural Biotechnology; additional director, research (agriculture), director of research and member of board of management.
V-C meets students protesting on campus for last 25 days
Gosal visited the gate number 1 of the campus to meet students who have been protesting against the state government, over non-fulfillment of vacant posts in the state agriculture and horticulture departments, for the past 25 days.
The V-C listened to students’ grievances and assured to bring the matter to the notice of the government. Later, students handed over a memorandum to him.
The protesting students claim that 410 posts of agriculture development officer; 350 posts of agriculture sub-inspector, 125 of horticulture development officer, 129 of soil conservation officer and 56 of market secretary are currently vacant.
