Find ways to make farming profitable: Badal to varsities

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday urged the universities across the state to act as “agents of change” for complete transformation of rural economy by evolving techniques through which the income of the farmers could be supplemented.

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday urged the universities across the state to act as “agents of change” for complete transformation of rural economy by evolving techniques through which the income of the farmers could be supplemented.

Interacting with the chancellors and vice-chancellors of the universities at a review meeting of ‘integrated village development programme’ here, Badal said though due focus has been given to the general development of villages, the rural areas still lag behind when it comes to economic development. He said the need of the hour was to boost economic development of every rural household.

The chief minister said under the integrated village development program, the state government aims to make the universities a partner in the Punjab’s rural growth.

“As farmers of Punjab are reeling under acute crisis, the universities should make concerted efforts to evolve techniques through which the income of the farmers could be supplemented,” he added.

He also said purposeful and quality education along with guidance to unemployed youth in villages for gainful employment must also be the areas of concern.