Day 1 at Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela 2019

Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela 2019 was organized by IARI, New Delhi from 5-7 March 2019 in the Mela ground. Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR inaugurated the mela in presence of Sh. Bimbadhar Pradhan, Addl. Sec. and Financial Advisor, DARE and Sec. ICAR; Sh. Sushil Kumar, Addl. Sec., DARE and Sec. ICAR; Dr A K Singh, DDG, Agricultural Extension and Director, IARI; Dr Ashok Kumar Singh, DDG (CS and Hort.); Dr Joykrushna Jena, DDG (Animal Sc. & Fisheries); Dr S P Kimothi, ADG, Coordination; Dr J P Sharma, Joint Director (Ext); Dr A K Singh, Joint Director (Res). The dignitaries visited the thematic pandal and exhibition area covering more than 200 stalls from various public and private agencies.

Director IARI welcomed the chief guest and other dignitaries present on the dais. The chief guest praised IARI for the timely organization of Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela 2019 and motivated the farmers to visit various research and display stalls at this fair. He urged the farmers to adopt the improved agricultural technologies for realizing increased farm income and prosperity. He stressed on the importance of lectures and discussions on topics related to agriculture to be held during Kisan Goshthi each day. Apart from this, he invited the farmers to pay a visit to the crops and animal exhibition being organized in the Kisan Mela. He emphasised that ICAR and IARI are making their best efforts so that the benefits of improved technologies and scientific information can reach every farmer in the country.

The prestigious ICAR awards were also distributed to 31 awardees in different categories. Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award – 2017 for Large Institute Category was shared jointly by ICAR Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan and ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, U.P. with a cash prize of Rs. 5 Lakhs each and for Small Institute Category to Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha with a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs. Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award – 2017 for SAU/DU/CAU Category was awarded to Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab. N. G. Ranga Farmer Award for Diversified Agriculture-2017 was awarded to Sh. Sandeep Goel of Uttarakhand. 10 other innovative farmers were awarded with Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puraskar and 12 farmers were bestowed with Jagjivan Ram Abhinav Kisan

Puraskar. Nanaji Deshmukh ICAR Award was given for different divisions of Crop and Horticultural Sciences, Natural Resource Management and Agricultural Engineering, Animal and Fisheries Sciences and Social Sciences for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences, 2015-16.

Various publications namely A Technical Bulletin on Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav- A flagship programme of ICAR: Status, Impact and Implications; Krishi Panchang: Varshik Krishi Karya Evam Krishi Ki Unnat Takniki; Synergising the institutional partnership for enhanced technology outreach and production system efficiency: Experience of collaborative extension programme; some leaflets and booklets were also released on the first day of mela. The vote of thanks was presented by Dr J P Sharma, JD (Ext).