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| Delayed Research Council Meetings at SKUAST- Jammu hits varsity’s research work | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 1: The meetings of Research Council (RC) at Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu haven’t been held on time for the past five years, resulting in inadequate follow up on researchable issues raised by various line departments.
Documents reveal that against eight mandatory meetings required to be conducted by the Research Council (RC), the RC had met only thrice. Documents reveal that 15th meeting of RC took place November 2015, 16th meeting on March 2017 and 17th meeting on March 2018. This resulted in inadequate follow-up on the recommendations of RC and the researchable issues raised by various line departments. Government departments engaged in development works in agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, animal husbandry and veterinary.
Reports informed further that SKUAST-Jammu was not able to address 28 out of 30 issues highlighted by the line departments during various meetings of RC between 2011-12 and 2017-18. Further, 33 out of 67 issues highlighted by the line departments during various meetings of EC and ZREAC remained pending. The pending issues inter alia included development of hybrids, climate/ disease resistant varieties of various food crops, genetic characterization of local breeds, soil testing and mineral mapping, degradation of pastures for fodder, etc.
The University council had identified (2012) 14 researchable areas (Appendix-3.1.6), of which, work on 7 important issues viz. (i) establishment of germplasm bank and development of genetically modified/ transgenic crops, (ii) establishment of climate change research and remote sensing unit, (iii) improvement of local breeds of buffalo through embryo transfer technology, (iv) establishment of database on Bakerwali goats, (v) Toxicological studies of currently used pesticides, (vi) genotyping of animals for disease resistance and enhancing meat and milk production and (vii) collection and digitisation of information about natural resources at district level using GIS and remote sensing technique, had not been initiated as of February 2019.
Project proposals on six of the issues had not been submitted and deliverables from the projects undertaken between 2012-13 and 2014-15 on three of the issues (i) Development of database for forewarning of pests and diseases; (ii) Study of impact of deficit rains on agriculture and allied sectors and (iii) Establishment of animal disease monitoring and surveillance Lab. were not found achieved. The balance projects covering rest of the four issues were partially in operation at various divisions of the University due to various reasons, compilation of results of which were under scrutiny.
Due to non-taking up/ partial execution of these projects, the University could not deliver on its mandate of providing adequate technical support to the farmers of the State and develop modern methods of agriculture/ veterinary by way of genetic improvement of food crops/ live stock and other technological interventions. In reply, the Co-ordinator, School of Bio-technology (SBT) attributed in June 2018 non-initiation of seven projects to non-receipt of funds and non-existence of necessary infrastructure recommended in September 2017 by the University bio-safety committee. |
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