Rural micro industries are the key to development: Dhankar

Punjab: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today highlighted the importance of setting up micro industries at village cluster level to promote value addition in agri-products and a sustainable society. Speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of Advanced Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme (A-EDSP) on “Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals and their Safety” at National Agri-Food and Bio Manufacturing Institute in Mohali, he stressed the need to revive rural economies through micro industries that can enhance agri and dairy products. “There was a time in ancient India when a village was self-sufficient. Now, cooperatives are embedded in the Constitution as an institution. A mechanism should be developed in a village or cluster of villages where we have micro industries on the farm that do value addition in agri-products, livestock and milk produced.

This will help develop a sustainable society and increase the nutritional value of food,” he said. “We have milk in our villages but its value addition is very less. What stops us from developing skills to make ice cream, cheese, mithai and other such things in a cluster manner? This is very important as it will generate employment. This will satisfy the rural youth,” he said. He urged farmers to stay updated about technological advancements that can benefit them. “Farmers generally stick to their tractors. They want to use the tractor as long as it can run. They are not aware that new technology is becoming eco-friendly, multifunctional, fuel efficient and highly subsidised. Awareness campaigns should be launched for this,” Dhankhar stressed. Later, the Vice President visited IISER Mohali where he interacted with students and teachers.