Punjab Cooperative Secretary Babar Hayat Tarrar visits UAF

The Punjab Government has mapped out a comprehensive strategy to strengthen milk collection, biogas and solar tube-wells system through cooperative societies in order to ensure rural development and agricultural growth in the province, said Punjab Cooperative Secretary Babar Hayat Tarrar on Friday. He called on University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan at the VC chamber. Cooperative Department Registrar Haroon-ul-Rafique and UAF Faculty of Agri Engineering and Technology Dean Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal were also present at the meeting. The meeting also discussed the area of mutual concerns regarding uplifting the cooperative societies mechanism through human resources development. It was also agreed that the UAF would provide training modules and in-service capacity building facilities to the cooperative Department. Babar Hayat Tarrar said that it is essential to uplift the cooperatives agricultural societies’ mechanism in the country. It is widely and effectively being used in the developed nation that is bringing tangible results. He said that the Punjab Government is considering all possibilities regarding flourishing the system in the province. He was of the view that existing tube-wells could be replaced with the solar one. They have started working on it. He said that the quality education is the key to transform the society. If we are lagging behind in education sector, development would become a merely dream. In-service training by the UAF for Cooperative will prove fruitful in this regard. Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that in modern world, the cooperatives are working as marketing organ. The farmers get the inputs, modern machinery and other necessary instruments through the cooperative societies. He also suggested revamping banking system for the agricultural cooperatives. He said that the UAF was holding the research and development work for Punjab Government initiatives of bio gas tube-wells and biomass. The secretary along with the Dean also visited the Biogas Tubewells Plant set up at the varsity.