'Odisha plans to introduce agriculture as compulsory subject'

BHAWANIPATNA: The Odisha government is contemplating to introduce agriculture as compulsory subject from primary school to university in the state soon in order to encourage students for cultivation.

This was stated by Odisha's agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy here yesterday. Thrust will also be given for extensive use of Bio fertilizer and on soil testing, he said.

Maharathy said this while gracing the commemoration day of Government Agriculture College, Bhawanipatna as chief guest. The minister said the work of potato mission has been launched in the state setting a target to produce 10 Lakh MT of Potato from present production of 2 Lakh 20 thousand MT. The minister also informed that for the interest of farmers and farming community, a Krushak Bhawan will be set up at Bhubaneswar with an estimated cost of Rs 44 crore 85 Lakhs.

Stating that there is excellent infrastructure and scopes in this tribal dominated district for agriculture Maharathy said Kalahandi is a land of large varieties of crops like paddy, Cotton, Onion, Oil seeds, pulses, Maize, minor millets and minor agriculture crops and irrigation is available in large areas.

The Vice chancellor of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) Manoranjan Kar said there is nothing like hard working. He asked students to convert challenges in to opportunity. "So far results and other activities of students are concerned, this College is best among the Colleges under OUAT," he said.