the goan I network
PONDA
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday emphasized the need of bringing in technological innovation in the agriculture area to double the income of the farmers by 2022.
"We need technological input to increase production. Mechanisation farming is needed," he stated.
Parrikar also asked the graduates of NIT Goa to work in best interest of the nation by addressing the issues grappling the country and bringing innovation in farming area too. About 65 students were conferred with B Tech degrees, while 44 students with M Tech degrees during the third convocation held at Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir Ponda. NIT Goa Director Gopal Mugeraya and other faculty members were present on the occasion.
"We need to tackle the issues of health care, environment, air pollution and agriculture with technology. We can even make Goa garbage free by having more plants like the Saligao plant," he said. "Role of technology is an important aspect for social transformation. Technology is fast changing and it needs continuous up-gradation. It can transform and pull many out of poverty. It has changed many lives, but has also left many untouched. For millions of people in India, mobile technology is still a magic, we need to bridge this digital revive," he said.
He said quality of education should be improved as 67 per cent of Std 5 students cannot even solve simple divisions. Parrikar said healthcare service has become a big problem in the country with many people succumbing to diabetes every year. "There are 206 nations with population less than the diabetes patients we have in our country," Parrikar added. "I have witnessed air pollution in Delhi. How can we expect better health with such air quality," he questioned. "Agriculture is also a challenge the nation is facing. Technological input is required to increase production. Mechanisation farming is needed," he said.
He said only two per cent or may be less than that are skilled persons, hence PM Modi has implemented the concepts to increase this number. "We can address the problems faced by the nation with skill and technology."
NIT Goa Director Gopal Mugeraya thanked Goa government for providing land to NIT campus at Cuncolim. He requested the chief minister to give them unused building in Goa Engineering College to provide hostel facility.
The gold medalists of M Tech are Kodali Samuel Prajwal (institute topper), Monika Deshmukh, Kodali Prajwal and Sumit Manohar (department topper). In B Tech, institute topper is Bommisetty Lokesh and Ankit Sharma, while Virginkar Vikrant Subhash and Bommisetty Lokesh are departmental toppers.
