Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla called upon the youth to stay away from drugs to maintain the sanctity of ‘Devbhoomi’ Himachal.

Shiv Pratap Shukla was addressing the students, professors and employees of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan district on Wednesday.

Earlier, he inaugurated the main entrance of the university built in Pahari style at a cost of Rs. 75 lakh.

He also inaugurated the inter-college sports competition of the university on the occasion.

Recalling the contribution of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar, the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, the Governor said that he worked for the development of the state.

He appealed to the people associated with the university to work for maintaining the prestige of the university.

Appreciating the work being done by the university in the field of education, research and extension, the Governor said that this university has played an active role in the development of horticulture and allied sectors and has proved the relevance of its establishment.

He said that the university has also played an important role in recognizing the state as an apple state.

Shukla said that along with teaching work, sports and other activities are also being conducted here and students like Lokesh Bhanot and Sandhya are bringing laurels to the university at the national and international level.

He said that currently 89 projects worth Rs. 99.41 crore funded by various institutions are being implemented in the university to promote research activities, in which 28 projects worth Rs. 9.92 crore have been received in 2022-23. He emphasized the university to provide good and low cost technology to the farmers through research, innovation and technology.

In view of the present situation, he appealed to the scientists to motivate the horticulturists to adopt natural farming.

Expressing happiness, the Governor said that the production method of some crops has been standardized under natural farming in the university.

He instructed that models of other crops should also be prepared under natural farming.  expressed happiness over the formation of the state’s first natural farming based farmer’s productivity company with the help of the university and the processing of ‘B’ and ‘C’ grade apples of this company in the university.

He said that instead of keeping scientific research confined to laboratories, he instructed it to take it to the fields.

He also stressed the need for intensive research and said that in today’s changing environment, maximum use of information technology should be made to bring speed and quality in works.