The vice chancellor of the Central Agricultural University in Manipur, Prof M Premjit Singh, has recommended the farming community to go for ‘alternative crops’ or ‘short duration paddy varieties’ during drought-like situation.
The recommendation was conveyed by Prof Premjit while addressing reporters in connection with the announcement of the university’s achievements in the academic as well as other sectors at the CAU headquarters in Imphal on Saturday.
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There are couples of short duration paddy varieties at Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Manipur centre, which can be used for the plantation in the state, Prof Premjit said.
Few days back, the state cabinet during a meeting chaired by Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh resolved to recommend the union government to announce the state as ‘drought-hit’.
The state experienced only around 285.1 mm of rainfall instead of the normal 731.3 mm between June 1 and July 25, according to India Meteorological Department.
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The rainfall deficit was 60 per cent in Manipur.
Considering the scanty rainfall across the state which entirely depends on monsoon rains, the agriculture department provided water pump sets to the farmers.
As an immediate relief, 126 water pump sets were reportedly distributed.
Vice chancellor Prof Premjit informed that two students of CAU brought laurels to the university and the state by shining in the results of ICAR AIEEA JRF examination 2019.
K Geenita of Wangkhei Wangkheimayum Leikai in Imphal East district emerged as all India overall topper in the ICAR AIEEA JRF examination 2019 in the stream of fisheries science.
Another student, D Bernice Ekhe of Makhan centre village in Senapati district, got 1st position in ICAR AIEEA JRF examination 2019 in the community science.
CAU, which has 13 agricultural colleges across 7 northeastern states, has so far produced 3,961 agriculture graduates.
It has also produced 10 students who have achieved Indian Agricultural Services and 119 agriculture scientists.
“In our track record, we have found 73 per cent of the students, who passed out from CAU, are working in government sectors while about 12 pc of them become agri-entrepreneurs,” Prof Premjit added.
“We also give vocational training to 390 unemployed youths from seven NE states,” he added.
Now, the university is planning to start foreign exposure trip for 150 CAU students and 37 teaching faculty members to update the academic knowledge within two years.
“With the recent achievements, the ranking of the CAU is expected to retain its previous record of 13th rank among the 75 universities in the country,” he felt.