On Wednesday, 19th
June, 2019, Rotary Club of Bombay West (RCBW) inaugurated a unique rural
project which will support increase in farm productivity through practical
training infrastructure for Krishi Vidyaan Kendra (KVK) at Village Kosbad,
Tal.Dahanu in Palghar District.
The KVK Kosbad was hosted by
Gokhale Education Society (GES) which celebrated its 90th
Anniversary recently. GES has on its rolls, 200,000+ students
participating in its education institutions at 10 centres spread out in Mumbai,
Nashik, Thane and Palghar regions with the help of 5000+ staff. GES set up The Agriculture Institute,
Kosbad in 1949 under leadership of renowned agri-experts. In 1977, when Dr.M.S.Swaminathan, the pioneer
of green revolution in India designed grass-root level vocational
training centres viz. KVKs, The Agriculture Institute Kosbad was among
the first ones to set up KVK Kosbad for Thane region. Since then, KVK Kosbad has been rendering
yeoman service to the farming community through its various on-site and offsite
training programmes aimed at bridging gap between available technologies and
their applications for increased productivity.
With a view to expand its reach
and increase its capability to intake more number of students / farmers for
onsite practical vocational training, a new spacious facility of 2800 sq.ft. has
been constructed at a cost of Rs.25 lakhs by RCBW with major contributions
from Past President Dr.Mohanbhai Patel, Ex-Sheriff of Bombay as well as from
Gokhale Education Society. Some members
of RCBW too contributed in this noble endeavour which will annually benefit
over 10000 small and marginal farmers and students. The training facility is named Krishi
Vigyaan Kendra’s Smt.Chandaben Mohanbhai Patel Rotary Farmers’ Training
Centre.
The Training Centre was
inaugurated by Dr.Mohanbhai Patel in presence of Dr.Anand Gupta, President,
RCBW, Shri P.A.Raut, Zonal Secretary, GES, Shri Vilas Jadhav, Head – KVK,
Kosbad Hill and Smt.Nisha Sagar. The function was attended
by several agri-experts from the neighborhood as well as Past Presidents and
Members of RCBW who had come in large numbers all the way from Mumbai.
RCBW has associated itself with
GES since 2012 by supporting its various rural ashram shaalas in Palghar
District to improve its infrastructure by building new classrooms, community
halls, kitchens, toilet blocks and generally enhancing the learning environment
with providing educational tools, e-Learning kits and sports kits.
-
PP Rtn.Aslam Merchant
