Villages need to have micro-industries for a sustainable society: Dhankar

Villages need to have micro-industries for a sustainable society: Dhankar

Nabaz-e-Punjab, Mohali Feb 17, 2025:
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar today emphasized the need to have micro-industries at the village cluster level to add value to the agro-produce and evolve into a sustainable society.
He called for the revitalization of rural economies through micro-industries that add value to agricultural and dairy products.
Presiding over as the Chief Guest at the inauguration of Advanced Entrepreneurship Skill Development Program (A-EDSP) on “Functional Foods, Neutraceuticals and their Safety” at National Agri-Food and Biomanufacturing Institute, Sector 81, Mohali today, Dhankar said, ”
There was time in ancient India when a village was self-sufficient. Now, the cooperatives are embedded in the Constitution as an institution. There must be evolution of a mechanism in a village or in a cluster of villages where we have micro industries at the farm that add value to the agro produce, to the livestock and milk produced. This will help evolve a sustainable society and the nutritional value of food will go up. Right now, we have milk in the villages, but value addition is minimal. What stops us from having entrepreneurial skills to get into ice creams, paneer, sweets and the kind in a cluster approach? This is very important because it will generate employment. It will satisfy the rural youth.”

Dhankhar urged farmers to stay informed about advancements in technology and its potential benefits. “A farmer is by and large clinging to his tractor. He wants to use the tractor for as long as it can last, ignorant of the fact that new technology is becoming environment-friendly, fuel-efficient, multifunctional, and highly subsidized. There has to be an awareness campaign,” he emphasized.
Dhankhar also planted a sapling in memory of his late mother Kesari Devi at the premises.

Later in the day, the Vice President visited IISER Mohali and interacted with the students and faculty there. Dhankhar stressed that research is the bedrock of economic supremacy and global distinction, asserting nations, which lead in research, command global respect in economy, strategy, and international influence.
Cutting-edge research, which is often the demand of the times, must correlate with the needs of society, he said.
“A country’s reputation, image, and power are defined by research. Nations that lead in research command global respect in economy, strategy, and international influence,” he said.
He further emphasized the significance of scientific advancement as the foundation of global leadership.