CHANDIGARH:   The    Punjab Government today decided to bear full financial liability of the Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana for payment of pension.  Issuing instructions to the effect the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that the government would also totally support renewal and expansion of research activities by the university scholars of the farm university.  

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister declared that the government would fund the university to the tune of nearly Rs.3 crore every month to meet its liability towards its pensioners till February 2009. The government would also put in place a regular mechanism for meeting this liability in future also. Badal strongly feels that the woes of the PAU pensioners must end immediately as the issue effected the overall morale of the entire academic fraternity on the campus.  The chief minister infact is keen to go a step further institutionalize incentives for those engaged in outstanding research in agriculture", said  Bains.   

Badal's assurance in this regard came at the end of meeting he had with varsity's Vice Chancellor Dr. Manjit Singh Kang and eminent farm economist Dr. SS Johl and top government functionaries at the Chief Minister's office here this morning.  

Taking part in the deliberations, the Chief Minister asked Dr. Kang and Dr. Johl to suggest ways and means to improve the productivity and quality of wheat and paddy through undertaking extensive research in the field of high yield varieties of seeds.  He also emphasized the need to motivate the Punjabi farmers to take up allied activities like dairying, fishery and floriculture besides cultivation of high value added cash crops. 
The Chief Minister also asked the Vice Chancellor to activate the research prospects in the Varsity so that the farmers of the Punjab could richly benefited from their experience.  He asked the university scholars to develop sufficient quantity of 'breeder and foundation seeds' for the farmers of the state.   He also asked the authorities of the university to effectively promote extension education services which were the real foundation of the state's initiative for heralding the second Green Revolution. He extended fulsome support and cooperation to the PAU in the pursuit of excellence. 

Interacting with the delegation of PAU, Finance Minister  Manpreet Singh Badal assured the Chief Minister that Finance Department would immediately release funds for the research purposes as it was the base of state's agricultural economy.  He said that young blood should be recruited in the University so that the research and development work carried out by the senior faculty members and fellows in the different wings of agriculture could be passed on to new hands especially as most of the senior teachers were already at the verge of retirement.

Badal extended full government support for improving and enhancing the flow of agriculture credit, increasing investment opportunities and storage facilities, launching a national horticulture Mission to increase the output and trade in fruit and vegetables and promoting research and training in agriculture.  He said that Krishi Vigyan Kendra should be set up in every district to spread the benefit of advanced research and training in order to change the mindset of our farmers towards diversification.