The Punjab Government is all set to establish ‘National Centre of Excellence for Horticulture’ at Attari.
The announcement was made by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday maintaining that the move would supplement farmers’ income in border areas through cultivation of fruits under the crop diversification programme.
Badal visited the Government garden and nursery and had detailed deliberations with the officers regarding the setting up of this Centre. He said that this Centre could act as a game changer for the farmers by enhancing their income considerably through the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.
Chief Minister asked the officers to ensure that this Centre is equipped with hi-end technologies so that extensive research could be carried out for producing high yielding varieties of fruits and vegetables.He said that this Centre of Excellence “must have high tech poly-house for vegetable nursery and a high-tech nursery for fruits including citrus to help farmers to maximize their profit”.
Badal asked the officers of the State Horticulture department to encourage the farmers for cultivating the fruits and vegetables that were best suited for the climate of the region.
He said that the cultivation of fruits like Peer, Peach and Guava that could give high yield in the region could transform the destiny of the farmers of this region by enhancing their income manifolds.
“The land for this nursery, which had proximity to the border, must also be aptly utilized by constructing a National Museum for Horticulture on the pattern of one constructed in Odisha,” he added.
Badal said that this Museum must depict the techniques of Horticulture adopted across the country through live and monumental presentations, so that people coming to visit the border could be attracted towards it.
“Apart from developing this site as a harbinger of horticulture revolution in the state, efforts must also be made to develop it as a favorite recreational spot for the tourist,” Badal added.