Providing quality food, education and facilities for the bright future of the youth is our priority: Governor Ramen Deka

Developed Chhattisgarh will be built with the help of talented youth full of energy: Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai

10th convocation of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University Raipur organized

Degrees awarded to 4 thousand 200 students, gold medals distributed to 16 students

Raipur, 01 February 2025: About 30 crore children and youth of the country are getting education at various levels. Providing quality food, education and facilities for the bright future of this group is the priority of all of us. Keeping this in view, new dimensions have been opened in the field of education across the country by implementing the new National Education Policy 2020, in which skill development along with degree has been given priority. Youth will play an important role in making India a 5 trillion economy. These sentiments were expressed by Governor Ramen Deka and Chancellor Indira Gandhi Agricultural University Raipur in the 10th convocation of the university. Before attending the 10th convocation of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai paid floral tributes to the statue of Swami Vivekananda installed in the university campus and remembered him. On this occasion, Agriculture Minister Ram Vichar Netam and former Director General of International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, Dr. Wanga Shiva Reddy were specially present. Governor  Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai distributed medals and degrees to the students who passed the academic year 2022-23 and 2023-24 in a grand and dignified convocation organized in the auditorium of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University Raipur. 16 gold, 18 silver and 4 bronze medals were awarded to the meritorious students. Along with this, about 4200 students were awarded graduation, post graduation and PhD degrees.

In the presidential address of the program, Governor  Ramen Deka congratulated all the students who received degrees and medals. He said that you have earned these medals by studying hard. This is a very important achievement in your life. I am sure that you will use the education you have received in this university for the welfare and development of the society and the country and will become a source of inspiration for others. Governor  Ramen Deka, while mentioning the importance of agriculture, said that wars will end in the world but food items will always be needed. He mentioned the contributions of Dr. Swaminathan and talked about becoming self-reliant in the field of milk from the White Revolution. He said that now is the era of Blue Revolution and today the country has progressed a lot in fisheries. During his visit to Bhutan and Taiwan, he shared some interesting facts related to agriculture. He said that agriculture is a great business and by joining it, we can contribute to the development of the country. There are immense possibilities in agriculture and the young generation will have to understand this and join it. Referring to Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Jai Vigyan, he said that we can make agriculture advanced only by joining science. Deka said that Prime Minister Modi has presented the vision of a developed India by the year 2047 and we all have to work continuously to achieve it. At present, we are producing about 1000 million tons of food with all types of food, grains, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, fish etc. By the year 2047, it has to be increased to 1500 million tons. This is a challenging task. Due to changing weather and market fluctuations, the risk in agriculture has increased.  Deka urged the scientists of the university to develop such technology which reduces the cost of farmers and increases their income. We also need to pay special attention to natural farming and production of pulses and oilseeds. He said that 45 percent of the total workforce of our country is still engaged in agriculture and it is the responsibility of all of us to raise the livelihood of this workforce. Develop small agricultural equipment requiring less energy so that the cost, human labor and especially the hard work of women in agriculture can be reduced. Keeping people in the field of agriculture is a big challenge today. Making agricultural work easier and increasing their income should be our main objective.

Addressing the function, Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai said that at present India has the largest population of youth. Youth power also has a significant contribution in the progress of the country and the state. Swami Vivekananda had said that if you give me 100 energetic youth of the country, I will change the future of the country. Today India has a generation of youth full of energy, certainly we are moving forward positively towards fulfilling the dreams of Swami Vivekananda. The Chief Minister said that our successful Prime Minister  Narendra Modi has also set the goal of building a developed India by the year 2047 and is working rapidly to achieve it. Along with developed India, we have created a vision document for the creation of developed Chhattisgarh. With the help of talented youth full of energy, we will definitely give concrete shape to the dreams of developed Chhattisgarh. Chief Minister Sai said that the modern era is the era of science and technology. The knowledge that you have acquired, that knowledge and technology needs to be used in the interest of the society, in the development of the country and the state. Work with full dedication to fulfill the aspirations and dreams of the people of Chhattisgarh and make your valuable contribution in building a developed Chhattisgarh. With the cooperation of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University in Raipur, we will take agricultural development to new heights in our state. With the participation of agricultural scientists and entrepreneurs, we will make the lives of farmers happy and prosperous. Chief Minister Sai said that we can see the example of how much a scientist can change the country with his thinking and work in the life of agricultural scientist Dr. MS Swaminathan. Dr. MS Swaminathan brought green revolution in the country. He made the country self-reliant in terms of food security. Due to which now India does not have to depend on foreign countries for wheat imports.

The Chief Minister said that the successful Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi ji has always kept the development of the agricultural sector as his top priority. He has always encouraged and inspired the development of innovations, research and entrepreneurship. Our youth are full of positive energy. They have new ideas. We have to encourage them. We have to provide facilities and solve their queries. I am happy that you people have provided a very good environment for this in the university campus. Education is very important to achieve new possibilities in life. Our country has been a world leader because of its education system. We have to continuously improve our educational institutions so that India can once again become the center of global education. The Chief Minister said that more than 160 varieties of various crops and more than 100 advanced agricultural techniques have been developed by the university. The world is grappling with the dangers of climate change and its greatest impact will be on the agricultural sector. It is a matter of happiness that the scientists of the research centers of the Agricultural University are preparing seeds that combat climate change. The university has a strong network of agricultural colleges, research centers and agricultural science centers from Balrampur to Sukma, with the help of which the university is playing an important role in agricultural development in the state of Chhattisgarh.

Chief Minister Sai said that considering agriculture as the catalyst of the state’s progress, we should pledge to make this university the pioneer of the country’s second green revolution. To take full advantage of the good research being done in the research centers, it will have to be made available to the farmers. The Agricultural University of Chhattisgarh has 23,250 germplasms of rice, which is the second highest number in the world. Apart from this, about 6000 varieties of other crops are stored in the university. The Agricultural University is constantly striving to convert single crop area into multi-crop area, ensure food and nutrition security and increase income and employment opportunities in rural areas. The Vice Chancellor, scientists, students and farmers of the university deserve congratulations for all these achievements and excellent work. Due to their continuous efforts, farming has got a new identity in the state. Special guest of the ceremony, Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam said that Chhattisgarh state is continuously progressing in the field of horticulture along with agriculture. Through new research and technology, farmers are increasing their production and becoming economically prosperous. The convocation address in the ceremony was given by Dr. Wanga Shiva Reddy, former Director General of International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi. Vice Chancellor of the University Dr. Girish Chandel presented the convocation report. He threw light on the activities and achievements of the university. The vote of thanks was given by the Registrar. Vice Chancellors of various universities, members of the Board of Management and Academic Council, professors, scientists, university officials, students receiving degrees and medals and their parents were present in the convocation ceremony.