\Taking inspiration from the success of Punjab in horticulture which has taken away the pressure from the traditional crops, Haryana too has decided to give a thrust to horticulture.
Regional Centre of the University of Horticultural Sciences to be set up in Naraingarh in the State is expected to give farming a rich dose of diversification and will prove to be a boon for the farmers and growers of this belt. The other two Regional Centres of the university will be set up in Jhajjar and Jind.
Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana Minister for Mining and Geology, on Saturday said that the first-of-its-kind university in the State would work to the advantage of the farmers in a big way. "It will help in creating an additional basket for them to earn from and add to their earnings," he said. The bill to set up the university was passed by the Vidhan Sabha during the Winter Session.
Saini thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for making aprovision of Rs 50 crore for setting up of the university in Karnal, and the Chief Minister Manohar lal for giving go-ahead for its regional centre in Naraingarh, which will be established at Village Dehra near Kala Amb.
The propsed horticultural university would be set up for the purpose of affiliating, teaching, and ensuring proper and systematic training, research and extension in modern systems of horticultural sciences, vegetable sciences and allied sciences.
“The university will help in raising level of education, teaching, research and extension in horticulture to international standards and lend research support to the Horticulture Department in giving diversification from agriculture to horticulture a push, Saini added.
It would have the departments of fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices, mushroom, post-harvest technologies and processing with focus on newer technologies of biotechnologies, molecular sciences that will help in development of newer varieties suitable for agro-climatic conditions of the state.
Newer production technologies of water conservation micro-irrigation, protected cultivation shall get boost in research and development in this sector.
The university would impart education in different branches of horticulture and allied sciences and work for further advancement in learning and research in similar activities. It would undertake study in post-harvest management and marketing strategies of horticulture produce and products and establish vital linkage with concerned departments or institutions or organisation of horticulture of other State Governments and the Union Government, Saini added.