Latest news with #PDKV
Time of India
27-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
PDKV VC says need to conserve, promote indigenous cattle breeds
Nagpur: Vice-chancellor of Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University (PDKV), Akola, Sharad Gadakh, emphasised the need for conserving and promoting indigenous cattle breeds to ensure sustainable development in Maharashtra, particularly in Vidarbha and Marathwada. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking at a 'Special Intellectual Discussion' hosted by PDKV's animal husbandry and dairy science department, Gadakh highlighted dairy business as a vital partner for sustainable agriculture and farmer prosperity. The event marked the state's first "Pure Indigenous Cattle Breed Conservation and Promotion Day," celebrated annually on July 22,. Gadakh stressed that commercial cattle rearing can significantly boost farmers' income by converting low-cost material like weeds, crop residues, and post-threshing byproducts into valuable milk, manure, and urine, while also producing new livestock annually. Noting India's position among the top five countries for cattle population and its status as the world's largest milk producer, he highlighted a key challenge: India's per-animal milk productivity is less than half the global average. With proper nutrition, breeding, and management, Gadakh said, livestock can yield at least 10 litres of milk daily, offering substantial economic benefits. Sadhana Ghuge, deputy commissioner of animal husbandry, addressed the declining population of indigenous cows, advocating for modern technology to enhance their productivity and reproductive capacity. Sheshrao Chavan, head of PDKV's animal husbandry and dairy science department, said, "We have implemented a pedigree cattle breed project, which includes the conservation of all five indigenous cattle breeds of the state — Gaolao from Vidarbha, Lal Kandhari and Deoni from Marathwada, Khillar from western Maharashtra, and Dangi from Konkan — along with high milk-yielding breeds like Sahiwal, Gir, Tharparkar, and Kankrej for educational purposes and dissemination among farmers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " He also highlighted initiatives in fodder crop cultivation, processing low-quality fodder into cost-effective feed, silage production, and producing manure, vermicompost, biogas, and electricity from dung. The department trains students and farmers in commercial dairy production and promotes fodder crops through a nursery.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Rooms on rent' boards outside PDKV VC bungalow create flutter
1 2 Nagpur: You can now rent rooms at the Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) vice chancellor's bungalow at Bajaj Nagar Square. You can also rent the meeting rooms or conference halls in the PDKV guest house in the same premises. The advertisements put up outside the campus say so, though PDKV officials deny any arrangement of this sort with the maintenance contractor appointed there. The VC's bungalow mostly remains vacant as PDKV VC Sharad Gadakh is stationed at the university's Akola headquarters. When TOI asked associate dean Prakash Kadu about the rooms on rent, he said instructions have been given to remove the board, but admitted the guest house has been outsourced for annual maintenance and housekeeping to a third-party contractor. Kadu agreed that it was wrong to advertise the PDKV property in such a way, and said that the rooms in the guest house can be booked only through referral by a PDKV officer. "Around 12 rooms are built in the new guest house while renovation work is going on in the old guest house. The rooms are mostly occupied by govt officials or their family members. Outsiders can't book rooms directly," he said. Kadu mentioned that some other govt-owned guest houses too have been outsourced in a similar fashion due to a shortage of full-time staff. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2 & 3 BHK Homes in Bandra East with Rooftop Pool Shapoorji Pallonji BKC 9 Enquire Now Undo However, no other govt-owned guest house on Central Bazaar Road or East High Court Road displays such advertisements. "The Class IV staff strength has dropped from 400 to 80, and there is hardly any staff to take care of these large properties. In the next few years, these regular employees too will retire. Hence, the university decided to outsource the guest house. The contractor pays Rs11 lakh annually to PDKV. He is supposed to earn by renting rooms for Rs500 to Rs700, and Rs1,200 for outsiders on referral," Kadu said. On Wednesday evening, TOI found the boards still in place outside the PDKV VC's bungalow as well as the guest house. When asked, the staff at the PDKV VC's bungalow said anyone can book the guest house and there was no need to bring any referral letter. The rates quoted too were higher than what Kadu mentioned. As per the staff, rooms are available for Rs1,800 to Rs2,400 for outsiders, with check-in and check-out timings like at regular hotels. Later, when TOI called Kadu to inform him about the boards, and outsiders being allowed to rent rooms, he didn't answer the calls. The contractor too didn't answer TOI's calls.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt reclassifies 21ha land for Rs235cr intl farmers convention centre at Dabha
Nagpur: In a significant boost to Vidarbha's agricultural development, the state govt has reclassified over 21 hectares of land in Dabha, paving the way for the construction of a Rs235.67 crore International Farmers Convention Centre. The project, which is already under construction on land belonging to Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), is being executed by the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) and will be the first-of-its-kind in Vidarbha. According to a recent Urban Development Department notification, the govt has approved a proposal from the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) to reclassify 21.48 hectares of the total 23.68 hectares in Mouza Dabha from earlier reservations — golf course, agriculture, burial ground, schools and park land — to public/semi-public zone. The remaining portion will continue to accommodate development plan roads of 36 and 18 metres width. Officials confirmed that the convention centre is being constructed on 59,360 square metres within the Krishi Mahavidyalaya campus in Dabha. The entire land parcel is being utilised for the project, with some areas kept aside for future expansion. "The centre is envisioned with modern architecture and will include state-of-the-art facilities for agricultural exhibitions, research, and conferences," sources involved in the project said. Amenities under construction include a pickup and drop zone, general and VIP parking, exhibition hall, food court, business lounge, operations office, and storage spaces. Sources said the work on the project began in February this year, and the targeted completion period is two years. "Once completed, the convention centre is expected to serve as a platform for international agricultural conferences, technical seminars, and farmer education programmes, especially benefiting farmers across the Vidarbha region. The facility will eventually be handed over to PDKV, which will be responsible for managing and utilising the space," said sources. The project is a dream initiative of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who long envisioned an international-scale centre dedicated to agriculture in the region.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
VNIT, PDKV reluctant to allot land for NMC's Rs415.79cr STP projects
1 2 Nagpur: Two critical sewage treatment plant (STP) projects under the Nag River Pollution Abatement initiative have hit a roadblock, as both Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) and Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) are yet to allot land despite completion of detailed surveys. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), in coordination with Tata Consulting Engineering (TCE), has proposed a 12 million litres per day (MLD) STP on 5 acre at VNIT and a 35 MLD STP on 6 acre at PDKV. The PDKV site, near Maharajbagh Zoo and adjacent to a newly constructed bridge opposite the metro corridor, has already been surveyed. At a review meeting chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari recently, municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari flagged the delay in land approvals which has stalled finalisation of key engineering packages under the Rs1,927 crore Nag River project. Under this initiative, NMC aims to treat 92 MLD of wastewater through new infrastructure. While a 45 MLD STP is being planned at Nari to treat sewage from Pili River, the proposed VNIT and PDKV STPs are crucial for treating Nag River pollution. Additionally, NMC plans to renovate its existing 5 MLD plants at Mankapur and Mokshadham ghats using the sanctioned funds. VNIT has expressed reservations, citing possible disruption to students due to the 12 MLD plant, despite already operating a 600 KLD unit on its campus. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo To address these concerns, Fadnavis and Gadkari convened a review meeting last month, urging VNIT to cooperate in the city's broader sanitation mission. "Both leaders urged VNIT to allow NMC and TCNE to conduct the site survey, which has now been completed. They also asked the consultant to assess whether the existing 600 KLD STP at VNIT could be scaled up for the proposed 12 MLD capacity and to study the compact STP model at Dharavi in Mumbai," a senior NMC public health engineering official told TOI. NMC will soon submit the final design to VNIT's Board of Governors for approval. Meanwhile, PDKV has agreed to a joint inspection with NMC to finalise the 6-acre land, assuring full cooperation. Despite the progress in planning, land acquisition remains the primary bottleneck for the Rs415.79 crore initiative, which is expected to significantly enhance sewage treatment capacity in central Nagpur. Currently, the city generates about 600 MLD of sewage, of which NMC treats around 330 MLD, while the Nagpur Improvement Trust handles another 63.5 MLD, the official added.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bamboo Farming Holds Promise to Uplift Vidarbha's Farmers: Experts
Nagpur: Senior scientist and agroforestry expert Vijay Illorkar on Friday said bamboo farming has immense potential to transform the agricultural landscape of Vidarbha, offering farmers a sustainable and profitable alternative. He was speaking at the first bamboo harvest at the Agroforestry Research Farm of Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV). Illorkar, who has been leading the study on bamboo since 2010, said that the university has submitted 15 key research-based recommendations to the state govt over the years, which have been implemented through various policies. Despite being a traditional resource, bamboo cultivation demands specialised skills. The tools used are still traditional, but training is necessary, as general labourers often cannot operate them effectively," he said. Illorkar emphasised the need to match bamboo varieties with available labour capacities, and also stressed the importance of fumigation and post-harvest handling. Adding to the discussion, bamboo entrepreneur Ashish Kaswa, who out of his 27 cultivation sites, collaborated with the PDKV and harvested the plant at the facility, said, "The plant has the natural ability to absorb toxic elements such as arsenic from water and convert them into harmless salts," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending Local Enterprise Accounting Software [Click Here] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo Kaswa said that this could come in handy for Vidarbha, where many districts have high alkaline water. Additionally, bamboo retains 70–80% moisture in its early stages, requiring proper awareness to avoid premature harvesting. Despite its ecological and economic value, challenges in training labour, high harvesting costs, and misinformation have hindered widespread adoption. "Bamboo, unlike other crops, requires specific knowledge and labour training, which most daily-wage farm workers lack," said Kaswa adding that current harvesting costs of Rs2,000 per tonne need to be brought down to Rs 1,200 to make the venture viable. Historically, bamboo's use in India was curbed by the 1927 Forest Control Act imposed by the British, who restricted its cultivation and trade. "The Britishers labelled it 'poor man's timber' and psychologically distanced even the affluent Indians from its use," said Kaswa, adding that bamboo played a vital role in Indian culture, from surgical procedures to cremation. However, in 2017, bamboo was finally removed from the Forest Act by the Central govt.
