Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 30: Depart-ment of Economics, University of Jammu in collaboration with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Regional Office and the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited., organized a two-day national conference on the theme entitled “Roadmap for Doubling Farmers’ Income by 2022: Towards Addressing Agriculture Sustainability and Ways Forward”.
Prof. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon from Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar was the key note speaker and he spoke in detail on the issues of Indian agriculture and its sustainability while referring to a farmers’ conditions. He stressed that in order to improve their livelihoods and to double their income, diversification to non-farm and off-farm activities, State sponsored crop insurance schemes, modifying the schemes of credit to famers by simplifying the interest rates are some of the steps needed to obtain the desired results.
JU Vice-Chancellor Prof R D Sharma emphasized on the role of action oriented research on issues related to the farmers for development of farming community and policy making in that direction.
Earlier, Prof Falendra K. Sudan, the Head of the Department of Economics and Convener of the Conference, highlighted the main themes of the conference. He informed that outcomes of the conference in the shape Roadmap and Policy Recommendations shall be submitted to the NABARD and Ministry of Agriculture for policy development and implementation for doubling the farmer’s income and sustaining agriculture.
The vote of thanks was presented by Prof Jasbir Singh while the proceedings of the inaugural function were conducted by Dr Virender Kundal.
In the valedictory session Prof Balwinder Singh Tiwana, Professor of Economics and Director UGC, HRDC Punjabi University Patiala, was the main speaker and he raised the issues of farmers’ income but at the same time questioned the possibility of doubling farmers’ income without any concrete agriculture policy in place.
Prof. R K. Mahajan from Punjabi University Patiala said that stress of the farmers is multidimensional and thus requires multi-dimensional interventions.
Prof. Jigar Mohammad Dean Research Studies, JU, presided over the valedictory function. Prof Anita Billawaria , Dean Faculty of Social Sciences was the guest of honour. Dr Aroon Sharma presented a detailed report of various technical sessions of the conference. The vote of thanks was proposed by Prof Prakash C Antahal.
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