Girl’s hostel of Engineering and Post Harvest Technology inaugurated

GANGTOK, February 26: State Agriculture Minister Somnath Poudyal today stressed the need for agricultural education in the wake of globalisation and free trade policy.
Inaugurating a girl’s hostel of the College of Engineering and Post Harvest Technology in Marchak, few kilometres from here, Mr Poudyal also said that the State Government was very positive to the idea of having a Central Agriculture University (CAU) in Sikkim. “The State Government is exploring the possibility of providing more land within the premises of the existing College for the proposed University, he added.
Stating competitiveness is the central theme and competence the catchword in free market, the minister said that the establishment of the College of Post Harvest Technology is a new milestone in the present context of agriculture development in Sikkim.

At the same time, he expressed sadness over less research linkage in the agriculture development initiatives. “Research and education are two wheels to balance and take agriculture development further, he said. Mr Poudyal insisted for more research works and urged the institute to design hill specific machinery and farm implements to address the problems being faced by the farmers.
In the same vein, the state agriculture minister proudly informed about Sikkim’s good business of Rs 15 cores proffered in the last season by simply selling 15,000 metric ton of seasonal tomatoes.

The Vice Chancellor of CAU SN Puri said the present land is not enough to cater the infrastructure services of the college. “We would really appreciate if the state government could provide us with more land for the agriculture college infrastructure,” he said. The VC also congratulated the institute and its faculty for being acknowledged as one of the best performing colleges in the country. “We are in the process of making an ace agriculturist who would be in a high demand in the days to come,” he added. Mr Puri further informed that Rs 30 cores would be demanded in the 11th Five Year Plan for the up-gradation of the college.

Former Agriculture Minister TM Rai said, the college would definitely prove to be a boon not only for the Sikkimese students but also for the students of North- Eastern Region.

Earlier, while placing his welcome speech, PK Srivastva, the dean of the college made special request with the state government to extend the pedestal pathway up to the college premises, to construct speed breakers near the college and to declare the college belt as the agro-industrial zone. He also informed that the college would start its new course on Food Processing from the coming session.

The girl’s hostel built at a cost of Rs 4 cores has all the ultra modern facilities.
In the evening programme, the college students showcased various cultural shows.