Platinum jubilee celebrations of the College of Agriculture get underway
HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Aug 16: Rajya Sabha member and former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has suggested the increase in area of cultivation by farmers in general and Assam in particular so that yield could be augmented manifold to boost the agricultural economy.
Speaking as the Chief Guest in the inaugural ceremony of the year-long platinum jubilee celebrations of the College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University (AAU) at the Dr MC Das Memorial Auditorium at the Jorhat campus of the university at Borbheta on Tuesday, Gogoi said that though through adoption of new technologies and methods the production of food grains and others have increased, but land holdings of the farmers need to be extended.
Indicating that existing laws should be re-looked or new laws be brought in by those concerned, the former CJI started that as the country as a whole and Assam in particular were primarily agrarian, in view of present times farmers should be allowed to possess more land holdings for expanding cultivation in order to boost the agri economy. He said that it was time to change the holding patterns of land to be used for farming.
Lauding the founders of the College of Agriculture as visionaries and also the scientists of the institute and the varsity in providing with new technologies and other support by carrying out research work in order to increase yield, Gogoi observed that in the current scenario it was need of the hour to enable the farmers to increase their land holdings for extending the cultivation.
“A sound economy is not possible without an adequate agriculture base and with 50 per cent of people of the state dependent on agriculture, increasing land holdings of farmers was a much needed step,” Gogoi opined.
Later speaking to newspersons after delivering the speech, the former CJI said that framing of adequate laws to increase the size of the holdings was required in present times.
Observing that carrying out farming in small land areas was not good enough, the Rajya Sabha member said that he would not comment on what kind of laws should be brought in as he was not competent, but stressed upon bringing laws to protect farmers.
He said that except for the matter of Farm Laws (later repealed by the Government) no plea seeking court intervention was made in regard to agriculture. Stating that he would not comment on the said scrapped Farm Laws, Gogoi said that during his tenure as a judge in HC and SC no case relating to agriculture had come up.
During the event, Gogoi also launched an alumni webpage of the institute.
The AAU Dean Faculty of Agriculture Dr Jayanta Deka delivered the welcome address at the outset of the programme after which the Vice-Chancellor Dr Bidyut Chandan Deka, too addressed the gathering. AAU Registrar Tapan Gohain, Director, Research Dr Ashok Bhattacharyya, Chief Librarian Dr Chandan Hazarika were among those who were present on the occasion. It may be mentioned that today was also the foundation day of the College of Agriculture.
