Jajpur, August 17 (odisha.in) The Punjab National Bank (PNB) has decided to set up a Farmers’ Training Centre (FTC) in Orissa, its official said Saturday.
PNB, the premier public sector bank in the country has already sent a proposal to the state government seeking land for setting up the proposed farmers’ training centre, zonal manager of the bank in Bhubaneswar Bimal Prasad Sharma told Odisha.in.
“We have requested the Orissa Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik to allot at least seven acres of land at a prime location, preferably in Bhubaneswar for the establishment of this centre” he said.
The bank has set up seven farmers’ training centres in Punjab, Hariyana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatishgarh and Rajastan, where the agriculture lending of the bank is comparatively higher than Orissa.
“About 80 percent people of Orissa are depending upon agricultural sector. The farmers are not being provided with update training on modern cultivation due to lack of farmers’ training centre.
We have decided to establish this centre here to help its farmers. Training to the farmers with special focus on adoption of improved farm technology, on diversification of crops, especially cash crops, repair and maintenance of agriculture implements will be imparted in the centre.
Besides, agriculture related activities, special training on floriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, apiculture and animal husbandry will also be imparted in the this proposed centre. This apart, it is our social corporate responsibility to stand by the needy and deserved farmers as they are the back bone of our society,” he said.
“We selected Bhubaneswar to set up the centre because it is the state head quarter where our zonal office is located. Secondly, Bhubaneswar has premier educational institute Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology where we can take best faculty members to impart training to the trainers,” he added.
Odisha.in