Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday asked the state agriculture department to chalk out modalities for collaborating with the world's top-ranking organisations in nanotechnology for uplifting agriculture in the state.
Badal was reviewing prospects of various applications of nanotechnology in the field of agriculture during a high-level meeting with senior officers of agriculture and horticulture departments, besides scientists of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.
Emphasising the need to introduce nanotechnology in the agriculture sector, Badal said it would not only enhance crop productivity but also reduce agricultural input costs drastically. He asked PAU scientists to explore the possibilities of effective implementation of this technology in the state with the help of the world's top universities such as Cornell University (US) and other organisations working in this field.
Experts told the chief minister during the meeting that Nano technology could reduce acidic nature of the soil and attract earth warms to regain its fertility.
Referring to the tissue culture research, Badal approved a plan of Rs 4 crore to be carried out by PAU in two years and asked its scientists to intensify their research work to develop a seed less verity of Kinnow.
{{/usCountry}}Referring to the tissue culture research, Badal approved a plan of Rs 4 crore to be carried out by PAU in two years and asked its scientists to intensify their research work to develop a seed less verity of Kinnow.
{{/usCountry}}Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting included Chairman Punjab State Farmers Commission Dr. GS Kalkat, Principal Secretary to CM SK Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to CM Gaggandip Singh Brar and VC PAU Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon besides other senior officers of the state government.