Ranchi BJP MP Ramtahal Choudhary has stressed upon providing education and career opportunities to girls, as they have increasingly been dominating every walk of life from flying airplanes to assuming defence research responsibilities to guarding country’s borders as member of armed forces.
Addressing the 37th Foundation Day function of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) on Monday, he said that girls were outnumbering boys almost everywhere from board and university exams to all India competitive exams for jobs, including those conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). “One educated girl educates the whole family but the scenario is not the same in case of an educated boy. I also request farmers and villagers to give up liquor consumption, a killing reason for ailments, poverty and family feud in rural Jharkhand,” said Choudhary.
The MP also said that small dovas constructed since some time had turned in death wells and he had protested against it with advocacy for larger ponds.
He lauded BAU initiative of adopting Nagri and Ekamba villages for development as model ones and urged to include adjoining Gagi village also in the project.
20-Point Programme Committee Vice Chairman Rakesh Prasad, BAU Vice Chancellor Dr Parvinder Kaushal, Kanke MlA Dr Jeetu Charan Ram, Mandar MlA Gangotri Kujur and teachers, staff, students, farmers and others were also present on the occasion.
Ram stressed upon concerted efforts for better placement of BAU graduates.
He requested to the VC to start a course in agriculture engineering, which is the need of the hour.
The guests also released the Annual Report, new issues of BAU newsletter and a book entitled ‘Practical manual of genetics’ by Dr Niraj Kumar, CS Mahto and ZA Haider.
Outlining achievements and initiatives last year, Kaushal said that five new colleges, three in agriculture and one each in dairy and fishery were being started from the session 2017-18 for which admissions were going on.
He said that BAU would require Rs 190 Crore during the current fiscal for running five new colleges.
“Similarly, Diploma and Certificate courses are being introduced in 13 subjects of agriculture, veterinary, forestry and biotechnology streams for skill development.
The existing seat strength of 50, 40 and 26 in the undergraduate course of agriculture, veterinary and forestry colleges have been increased to 80, 60 and 50 respectively from the current session (2017-18),” added Kaushal.
Awards were also given in a number of categories during the event. The Best Teacher Award went to University Professor of Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Dr Manigopa Chakraborty.
At the same time, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Garhwa Subject Matter Specialist (Horticulture) Akhilesh Chandra Mishra bagged the Best Extension Scientist award.
Swapnil, Nandita Bera and Shanti Kumari bagged the best undergraduate student award for obtaining the highest overall grade point average (OGPA) in agriculture, veterinary and forestry faculties respectively, whereas the best postgraduate student award for agriculture, forestry and biotechnology went to Nidhika Rani, Arti Singh and Swetambari Kumari.