Latest news with #PunjabAgricultureUniversity
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
AI traps offer real-time defence against pest, reviving hopes for Punjab's cotton farmers
A cutting edge technological intervention offering real time surveillance on the pink bollworm (PBW) in the cotton crop may give a new lease of life to the conventional cash crop of Punjab. Developed by the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), AI (artificial intelligence) pheromone traps will be stationed at eight different locations in the cotton growing districts of Bathinda, Mansa and Muktsar for the second consecutive kharif season to audit its efficacy. Principal entomologist of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) Vijay Kumar said the digital intervention gives hourly crop updates of the pest via a mobile phone. Alerted by the moth data, farmers can promptly use insecticides to curb the PBW attack on the cotton crop. 'In the new generation AI trap, a camera is fixed in the pheromone trap that takes regular pictures of the moths that stick to the trap due to the pheromones' lure. These images are then transmitted in real time to a remote server in the cloud and to the farmer,' said Kumar. The expert said that images of pests are analysed using a machine learning algorithm that has been trained to identify and count PBWs caught in traps. Kumar, who is monitoring the CICR project in Punjab, said that the technology was introduced last year and its results of two consecutive seasons will be analysed before recommending it for wider use. Since 2022, the cotton crop acreage in Punjab has witnessed a sharp downfall after PBW infestation. Experts said that even the genetically modified pest-resistant variety of Bt Cotton (Bollgard II seed) has been falling prey to the pest it was created to resist, farmers are staying away from its cultivation due to economic losses. Punjab state agriculture department's deputy director (cotton) Charanjeet Singh said that the innovative approach may have the potential to significantly reduce economic losses for farmers grappling with PBW infestations. 'Practice of installing pheromone traps is prevalent in various parts of the cotton-growing region. But it was observed that counting and monitoring pests caught in traps has manpower challenges. But the smart monitoring system enables timely pest management advice to cotton growers, ensuring efficient control and keeping damage below economic threshold levels,' he added. A progressive farmer from Khiali Chailanwali in Mansa, Jagdev Singh, talks about the effectiveness of the AI trap installed at his one-acre cotton field last year for testing by the authorities. 'Experts say that the AI trap costs ₹35,000 - ₹40,000 and it would be a major challenge in acceptability. But the technology may be supported as the results were highly impressive. An AI-powered pest detection system can alert a farmer to incoming pest infestations in real-time, enabling them to take swift action and effectively save their crop. I witnessed that the system can help a farmer solve the pest problem better than traditional measures often driven by guesswork,' he added.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Day-long workshop for Aadhaar operators, supervisors at PAU
Ludhiana: A day-long state-level mega training for Aadhaar operators and supervisors was held at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) here Saturday. It saw 130 participants from various govt departments such as sewa kendra, school education, women & child development & department of post. The training covered a host of issues related to the Aadhaar ecosystem , rules, and procedures. The objective was to enable Aadhaar operators to perform their duties efficiently and provide better services to the residents of the UT. It was organised by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Chandigarh office in collaboration with the training and testing division of UIDAI HQ & Registrar FCS Punjab. SK Kothari, director, UIDAI (Chandigarh), inaugurated the programme. He emphasised the need for strict compliance with regulations and the latest directions to minimise the possibility of errors by the operators. He also emphasised on document update by the residents who have not updated their Aadhaar in the past 10 years. Operators were also trained in revised penalty structure keeping in view the previous errors, and were advised to complete the enrolments carefully. Ankush Thakur, assistant manager of UIDAI (Chandigarh), ensured that participants gained a thorough understanding of the enrolment ecosystem. He also presented the new module of enrolment and update of Aadhaar to the participants. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Complete protection with iPru All-in-one Term Plan ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo UIDAI conducts such training sessions at regular intervals to foster professionalism and excellence among ecosystem partners to further strengthen the Aadhaar framework. The session provided a comprehensive overview of Aadhaar principles and ecosystem.
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why river water from parched Punjab is flowing unused into Pakistan
During the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a rally in Jalandhar, said he would ensure that India's share of the Indus river water flowing into Pakistan is given to 'Punjab ki dharti ' (land of Punjab) instead. Nine years on, a lot of water from the rivers flowing through Punjab is still going to Pakistan, even as the state itself struggles for water. The problem is that India lacks a mechanism to store water over which it has legitimate rights under the now-suspended Indus water system. While in times of scarcity, even the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan clamour for this water, in the monsoon, when the rivers are gushing, there is no way to store the water, and Pakistan accuses India of releasing 'excess water' into its territory. Under the Indus Water Treaty, all the water of the 'Eastern Rivers' of the Indus system — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — is available for the 'unrestricted use' of India. Pakistan receives water from the 'Western Rivers' — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. Punjab: a water problem Around 47% of Punjab's water needs are met through groundwater, which is depleting fast. Punjab's annual water demand stands at 66.12 billion cubic meters (BCM), of which 62.58 BCM is required for agriculture. However, the total available water is only 52.85 BCM, creating a deficit of 13.27 BCM. The effective rainfall provides 20.98 BCM, while the availability of groundwater that can be replenished is 17.07 BCM. Canal water contributes 14.80 BCM. Despite being a major riparian state, Punjab has limited rights to its three perennial rivers (Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas), which together carry 42.4 BCM of water. Punjab's allocated share is 17.95 BCM, while the rest is for other states, like Haryana and Rajasthan. The available canal water is estimated at 14.80 BCM. The deficit of 13.27 BCM is being met through the over-exploitation of groundwater. According to aquifer mapping studies conducted in 2017 by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Punjab's groundwater resources are depleting at an alarming rate, said Dr. Rakesh Sharda of Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. How much water goes to Pakistan from the Eastern Rivers? A significant amount of water, especially from the Ravi, flows unused into Pakistan every year. Out of the 42.6 BCM of water in Punjab's rivers, the state uses just 14.80 BCM. The remaining water flows to Rajasthan (approximately 10.6 BCM), Haryana, and Pakistan. During the monsoon season, surplus water from these rivers is released to Pakistan, said sources in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). For instance, in 2019, from April to June, around 2,060 million cubic meters (MCM) of water was released from the major dams on the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi. Of this, 30-40% was used within Punjab for irrigation, while the rest was released to Pakistan and other Indian states through the canal network. While these figures, reported by the Central Water Commission (CWC), support the state government's argument of releasing excess water to prevent flooding, they also highlight Punjab's failure to utilise available water to address its supply gaps. Why is Punjab not storing this water? Only the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi have dams; smaller rivers and rivulets, which often flood vast areas during heavy rains, require better management. Canalisation—directing river water into specific channels, using mini-dams or constructing embankments (Dhussi bandhs) to control surplus flows—has not yet been effectively implemented. Although former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced plans to canalise Punjab's rivers and other water sources during the 2019 floods, no significant progress has been made. In addition, there is a need to remodel Punjab's canal system, especially to manage excess water from Beas and tributaries like the Ujh. Such measures would help divert water for irrigation and recharge the rapidly depleting groundwater table. There are also concerns about the indiscriminate encroachment of floodplains, which further complicates water management. Urban water supply crisis in Punjab Punjab's major cities, such as Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Amritsar, face a severe water shortage during the summer. In Jalandhar, there was a proposal to bring in the Beas water, but the project, which would cost around Rs 2,000 crore, is yet to materialise. 'The water crisis in Punjab is not just about scarcity—it's also about mismanagement and a lack of infrastructure. The state is caught in a complex web of water-sharing disputes with its neighboring states and Pakistan, all the while facing the looming threat of desertification. Unless substantial investments are made in water management, storage, and infrastructure, and area under paddy is decreased, Punjab's water crisis will only deepen,' said an expert from the Punjab Water resources department.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
How a Punjab farmer turned pig rearing into a multi-crore enterprise
IN 2000, when 25-year-old Sukhwinder Singh Grewal, a marginal farmer with just 0.33 acres (1.5 bigha) in Kotli village of Ludhiana, decided to take up pig rearing, his friends and relatives severed ties with him. They told him that it was disgraceful and distanced themselves from him. Now at 50, Grewal may not have got back his friends but is a known figure in the area and a sought-after guest at weddings and social gatherings. His remarkable journey has not only earned him recognition but has also helped redefine the prospects of piggery in Punjab. Starting with just two sows (female pigs) and one boar (male pig) by investing Rs 15,000, Sukhwinder now owns over 250 pigs, including 225 breeding sows and remaining boars. He sells between 850 to 1,000 piglets & fatty pigs annually, and also sells 20 per cent of his pigs after processing in the form of meat and pickle. From piggery he is generating revenues of approximately Rs 2.0 to 2.5 crore, with a profit margin of around 40 per cent. This translates into annual earnings of Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore, depending on market conditions. The road to success wasn't easy for him. Having completed 10+2 and ITI, he aspired to do something in agriculture. But with just 0.33 acres, traditional farming offered little hope. 'My turning point came in 1999, When I was receiving dairy training at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana, and a scientist there, Vinod Kumar Jindal, suggested I take up piggery. I was hesitant at first, but that decision changed my life,' he said, adding 'I started my big farm on my small piece of land, but my friends and relatives chose to snap ties with me. Now, 25 years later, the same people seek appointments from me .' 'I started small, but I never treated piggery as a side business. I took it seriously and in last 25 years trained myself every day—not just in Punjab or across India, but even abroad. I've visited five countries, including four in Europe and Canada, to learn modern piggery techniques. I took training in Holland and Canada, visited Euro livestock Expo in Germany several pig farms in Italy, and Belgium,' Sukhwinder said. 'In Europe, the US and Canada, people involved in pig farming have become billionaires and several of them are now big politicians, and businessmen.' Several pig rearers from Europe and Canada frequently visit his farm too. He has also collaborated with Polar Genetics, Alberta (Canada), and running Indo-Canadian swine breeders pig farm in his village. His farm was the first in India where artificial insemination of pigs with the frozen semen, which was procured from Canada, was practised for the first time in India. A female pig, he said, delivers piglets twice a year and can produce 25–30 piglets annually. With an average survival rate of 18 piglets per sow per year, even a beginner with 10 sows can expect around 180 piglets annually. 'But feeding these piglets properly so that they gain 20–25 kg within the first two months, managing their health, and ensuring the sow is ready to breed again within 4–5 months, requires meticulous planning, care, and significant investment,' he said. 'Without a sound feeding strategy and a proper marketing plan, the business is bound to fail.' Based on his 25 years of experience, Sukhwinder has calculated that even a single sow requires an investment of around Rs 1.70 lakh. This includes the cost of building a shed, feeding the sow through two deliveries a year, and the diet and care of her piglets. 'Unfortunately, most new farmers ignore these crucial expenses,' he said. Most piglets are sold locally for Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,500 to newcomers who raise them at home. Meanwhile, fatty pigs weighing around 100–120 kg are in high demand in Northeastern states like Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, where pork is a dietary staple. 'They prefer pigs from Punjab both for breeding and dietary purpose because of their quality,' said Sukhwinder, adding that such pigs—usually around seven months old—sell for Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 each. Sukhwinder, who spent a lot of time in Northeast to study the market, believes that if the state supports small farmers mainly in training and marketing by opening processing units in Punjab, piggery could generate over Rs 200 crore annually for Punjab through sales to these states alone. The actual weight of breeding pigs can go up to 350 kg for a male pig and 250 kg for a female. Punjab mainly breeds four varieties of pigs: the Large White Yorkshire, Landrace, Hampshire, and Duroc. And around 700 to 1000 small/marginal farmers are taking up piggery seriously in the state. His efforts haven't gone unnoticed. he has received the Chief Minister's Award and multiple honours in the piggery sector. His pigs won several times in the fairs organised by the animal husbandry department and PAU.
