A special gathering of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for the Agro-Economic Research Centre, Department of Economics and Sociology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, was convened which was attended by Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, the PAU Vice-Chancellor, and Sh. Arun Kumar, Sr. Economic & Statistical Advisor from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, TAC members.
The discussions held during the meeting were hailed as fruitful by Dr. S.S. Gosal, who emphasized the necessity for regular convening of such sessions. He emphasized the urgency for increased village surveys, particularly focusing on the declining water table, crop varieties, and effective paddy straw management. Dr. Gosal underscored the importance of conducting comprehensive comparisons among neighboring states to address the issue of straw burning. He highlighted factors like the area under paddy cultivation, types of paddy or basmati sown, export of paddy straw to other states for fodder purposes, and incentives provided by state governments to discourage burning paddy residue.
Sh. Arun Kumar commended PAU’s clean and eco-friendly campus and actively engaged in the discussions. He proposed the creation of a policy note at regular intervals to expedite policy formulation. Additionally, he expressed a keen interest in evaluating the impact of the farm debt waiver scheme on loan repayment to comprehend its implications on financial discipline.
Prior to this, Dr. J.M. Singh, Head of the Department of Economics and Sociology, presented an overview of the Agro-Economic Research Centre’s progress. He highlighted completed studies, including evaluations of the Farm Debt Waiver Scheme’s impact on farmers’ livelihood in Punjab and India, village survey studies in Punjab, and an analysis of erosion into farm profitability due to market imperfections in the region. Dr. Singh also outlined various ongoing and submitted research initiatives.
The TAC meeting marked a crucial platform for comprehensive discussions and strategic planning to address pivotal issues impacting agricultural economics, positioning PAU as a key contributor in guiding policy formulation for sustainable agricultural practices.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=8381
