Chandigarh, Feb 17 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday called for the revitalization of rural economies through micro industries that add value to agricultural and dairy products.

"There must be evolution of a mechanism in a village or in a cluster of villages where you have micro industries at the farm that add value to the agro produce, that add value to the livestock produced, milk produced. This will help evolve a sustainable society and the nutritional food value will certainly go up.

"What stops us from having entrepreneurial skills to produce ice creams, paneer, sweets, and the like in village clusters? This is very important because it will generate employment and satisfy rural youth," Dhankhar said.

Dhankhar was 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 in Mohali.

Emphasising that technology must be integrated into farming practices to improve efficiency and productivity, the vice president said, "startups are there in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. They have to trickle to villages now because agriculture produce is lifeline of economy, raw material for industry. And when this takes place, close to the farmland in the rural firmament, evolving as a cluster, economy will take a jump, and people will believe in the farmland." Urging farmers to stay informed about advancements in technology and its potential benefits, he said, "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".

He said there has to be an awareness campaign to tell the farmers that you don't need anybody's help. "You only have to know your inner strength to change your economy to a very high level. Form small groups, market your product at a price of your choice; you can.

"But by and large, I see farm produce is sold when it is not farmers' market, it is buyers' market. The government provides facilities to hold on to the stock by massive warehousing and cooperative movement. I can tell you the farm policies of the government are so helping the farmer.

"The farmer has to know about it. You (premier institutes like NABI, Mohali) can play a great role because we cannot allow that our farmers get anything but the very best.

"No short-change for the farm sector, no short-change for the farmer that has to be our motto. Institutes like yours must have live connect with Krishi Vigyan Kendras, with Institutes of Indian Council of Agriculture Research," he further said.

Dhankhar said interest of farmers is in his heart.

"I am son of a farmer like there was a movie, Son of a Sardar. A son of the farmer will always commit himself to truth," he said.

"The interest of the farmer is in my heart. I know the potential of farmers. I know the potential of the children in farm families. I know the kind of challenges they face right from the beginning.

"During my time the challenges were more, not any longer. We never imagined Indian household will have a toilet, a gas connection, an electricity connection, an internet connection, something like pipe water on the way, a road connectivity, health centre close by. We never thought of that. Good education, it is happening now.

"Therefore, an ecosystem by transforming our education that brings about equality, labels all, and cuts into inequities is in place," he said.

Dhankhar said India's soul resides in its villages, with the rural system serving as the backbone of the nation. The path to a developed India passes through its villages. A developed India is no longer just a dream; it is our goal, he said.

He further said, if we look into our historical past, India was known to be a land of knowledge and wisdom, particularly in science, astronomy and what not. Every aspect of human life finds reflection in our Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas.

"And we are a nation that takes pride in having ancient institutions like Nalanda, Takshashila and the kind. Something happened around 11th or 12th century, and there was a digression. Marauders came, invaders came, and they were reckless in destroying our institutions, Nalanda being one of them.

"Our cultural centres, going to the extent of being so retributive, perversion of a very different kind over our religious centres they built their own. The nation faced it. Then came the British rule.

"Systematically, we got laws that were meant to subserve them. We got education that destroyed ours and created not an ecosystem of full exploitation of our talent. The best part is, we are springing back," he noted.

He also touched upon the significance of research and said, "All institutions in the country will have to pass the litmus test. And the litmus test is -- what impact is being created? In a positive sense, it should be like an earthquake, with the impact being felt...".

While reiterating India's civilizational strength, he stated, "The century belongs to Bharat. This is being doubted by no one except some in our country. My appeal to them, as an Indian, as a Bhartiya, our commitment to our nation, belief in the principle of the nation being first, and subscribing to the ideology that no interest -- personal, political, or otherwise -- is higher than national interest". PTI SUN HVA