P Srinivasan I [email protected]
The women play an important role in the agriculture sector from sowing to harvesting to storing. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot to ensure their empowerment and effective participation in this sector in the budget 2023-24 started ‘Rajasthan Yuva Kaushal va Kshamta Sanvardhan Mission’ (Rajasthan Youth Skill and Capacity Enhancement Mission) in which increased the incentive given to girls under this scheme to three times.
Under this mission, girls studying agriculture from class XI to PhD were getting an incentive of Rs 5000 to Rs 15000, which now has been increased to Rs 15000 to Rs 40000 per annum. The objective of the state government is that girls should study the latest methods in the agriculture sector and get formal education and training, which will not only increase the income of the family but will also contribute to the prosperity of the state and the country.
Agriculture commissioner Kanaram said that under this mission, girls studying agriculture subject in class XI and XII will be given Rs 15,000 instead of Rs 5,000 per annum. In the graduation subjects such as horticulture, dairy, agriculture engineering, food processing in agriculture science along with girls studying in post-graduation (MSc agriculture) will be given Rs 25,000 instead of Rs 12,000 per annum. Similarly, girls doing PhD in agriculture subject will get Rs 40,000 instead of Rs 15,000 per annum (maximum 3 years) as incentive.
He said that in this mission in the last four years (December 17, 2018 to March 2023) a total of more than Rs 55.17 crore was given as an incentive to 84,583 girls studying agriculture. Out of which in 2018-19, more than Rs 7.87 crore was given to 11605 girls; in 2019-20, 15780 girls were given more than Rs 9.30 crore; in 2020-21 over Rs 10.75 crore was given to 4647 girls; in 2021-22 more than Rs 12.84 crore was given to 20867 girls and in 2022-23 over Rs 14.40 crore was given to 21684 girls. By giving these incentives, the girls were inspired to opt for agriculture subject.
The increasing data shows that this campaign is proving fruitful for the girls to select agriculture faculty. The girl students are doing innovations in the field of agriculture and ensuring their participation in the country.
Meanwhile, the state government taking a step aimed at promoting agricultural education and empowering students in the field, has approved the establishment of agriculture faculties in 50 government higher secondary schools across the state.
In order to ensure quality education, each of these schools will have a dedicated agriculture lecturer who will impart knowledge and expertise in the field. This decision aims to provide specialized knowledge and expertise in the field of agriculture, horticulture, and agro-forestry to students, enabling them to pursue promising careers in the agricultural sector.
The distribution of these agriculture faculties across districts is as follows: 8 each in Jaipur and Alwar, 5 in Ajmer, 4 in Sikar, 3 each in Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Dungarpur, and Jhalawar, 2 each in Bundi, Jodhpur, and Nagaur, and one each in Sriganganagar, Jaisalmer, Jalore, and Pali. This strategic allocation ensures that students from various regions of the state can have access to comprehensive agricultural education.
It is noteworthy that the Chief Minister had previously announced the opening of agriculture faculties in a total of 600 government schools offering science faculties. Of these, the approval for the establishment of agriculture faculties had already been granted for 406 schools, reaffirming the government’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities in the agricultural domain.
The introduction of agriculture faculties in government schools will provide students with a holistic understanding of the agriculture sector, equipping them with practical skills and knowledge necessary for sustainable agricultural practices. This initiative will not only contribute to the students’ academic growth but also enhance the prospects of the agriculture sector in Rajasthan.
The girls after studying agriculture are getting recruited in the agriculture department on the post of agriculture officers and assistant agriculture officers. In 2022, the government gave appointment on the 95 posts of agriculture officers out of which 37 were women. In the same year, out of 2066 vacancies for the post of agriculture supervisors (non-TSP), 622 women got the appointment. Similarly, out of 288 posts of agriculture supervisor (tribal sub plan), 78 women candidates succeeded in getting the appointment, while 9 women got jobs out of 33 posts of assistant agriculture officer (TSP) and in 2020 out of 1648 posts of agriculture supervisor (non-TSP), 490 women candidates succeeded and 89 posts were bagged by women out of 301 posts of agriculture supervisor (non-TSP).
