JAMMU: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated a series of advanced infrastructure facilities at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, alongside launching the Startup Outreach Programme under JKCIP. The event gathered researchers, innovators, young entrepreneurs, and farmers from across the Jammu division.
Key Infrastructure Additions
The newly unveiled facilities are designed to strengthen research, digital capabilities, and student welfare on campus:
- Unnati Girls Hostel: Providing secure and modern residential facilities for female students.
- Centre for AI and ML in Agriculture: Fostering data-driven technological solutions for modern farming.
- Centre for Mushroom Research and Innovation: Enhancing specialized cultivation techniques and research.
- Advanced Sericulture Laboratory: Supporting silk farming innovation and modern production methods.
- Centre for Digital Media and Publication: Facilitating modern scientific outreach and academic communication.
Highlights from the LG’s Address
- Global Innovation vs. Local Solutions: Pointing to international tech-driven agricultural models in the Netherlands, Israel, New Zealand, and Brazil, the LG emphasized that agriculture is the next major frontier for global innovation. However, he urged local youth to innovate for Jammu and Kashmir’s specific challenges rather than merely copying foreign templates.
- Shifting Employment Aspirations: Highlighting a cultural shift where youth aspire to become job creators rather than job seekers, LG Sinha remarked, “Your degree is not your destination; rather, it is like a runway for your flight of success.” He defined a self-reliant J&K as a place where every young citizen becomes an employer based on their unique talent.
- Focus on Women Entrepreneurship: Asserting that no economic revolution is complete without active female leadership, he called for empowering women-led enterprises, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) with equal access to finance, technology, and markets.
- Diversifying Beyond Traditional Farming: He encouraged progressive farmers and youth to venture into cold chains, grading and packaging units, regional branding, and digital marketplaces to connect J&K’s produce to national and international hubs like Delhi and Dubai.
Achievements & Releases
- Startup Growth: SKUAST-Jammu has successfully selected over 150 students for idea incubation and supported 56 promising startups, extending its reach deep into rural areas.
- Felicitation: Eight standout startups, FPOs, and rural enterprises were honored for their contributions to agricultural value addition.
- Publications Released: Four key institutional documents were unveiled during the event, including:
- Policy Document for Promoting Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in J&K
- Chronicle of Innovation & Startups under RKVY-RAFTAAR, SKUAST-Jammu
- Value on the Vine: Economic and Market Dynamics of Vegetables
- Student’s Rural Exploration Programme (SREP)
The event was attended by Finance Department Additional Chief Secretary Shailendra Kumar, SKUAST-Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Director Extension Dr. Amrish Vaid, Registrar Dr. Anil Kumar, along with university faculty, students, and agricultural stakeholders.
