Pune, August 2, 2025:

The Training and Education Centre (TEC), ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Pune, successfully organized a webcast event on the occasion of the release of the 20th installment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi Scheme by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The event was part of the nationwide initiative to connect with farmers and sensitize them about various government schemes and technological advancements in agriculture and allied sectors.

The programme commenced with an interactive session where agricultural experts and stakeholders engaged directly with farmers to understand their on-ground challenges and share relevant solutions. Dr. Kiran Bhilegaonkar, Station In-Charge, welcomed all participants and highlighted the Centre’s ongoing efforts in capacity building, livestock-based livelihoods, and scientific knowledge dissemination.

Dr. Mahesh Kadam, Associate Professor, Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM), Pune, delivered a key address on Central and State government schemes focusing collective approach, livestock cooperatives, White revolution 2.0, mPACS in Dairy & Fisheries, Sahkar Dairy Scheme (NCDC supported) and three emerging multistate livestock cooperatives societies which will develop the backward and forward linkages through value chain development in livestock ecosystem. He urged farmers to actively access these benefits and assured them of institutional handholding. Dr. Dhananjay Gaikwad, Assistant Professor, VAMNICOM elaborated on the Integrated Farming System (IFS) model, showcasing its potential to improve farm sustainability through livestock integration.

In a special technical session, Dr. Abhyankar, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Maharashtra, presented a lecture on advancements in livestock breeding, emphasizing embryo transfer technology for conserving indigenous breeds. He encouraged farmers to adopt reproductive technologies supported by the government for enhancing rural productivity.

A notable highlight was the participation of Mr. Avdhoot Kadam from CARE Foundation (a MANAGE-supported organization), who facilitated grassroots-level discussions and addressed field-level queries on scheme convergence and implementation.

At 11:00 AM, attendees joined the live webcast of the Hon’ble Prime Minister's address, during which he released the 20th installment under the PM-KISAN scheme and interacted virtually with selected farmers. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to doubling farmers' income through scheme convergence, promotion of agri-tech startups, climate-resilient agriculture, and rural infrastructure development.

Following this, Dr. Amol Bhalerao, Scientist at TEC Pune, presented impact stories from SCSP and TSP projects conducted by the Centre. He highlighted the positive outcomes of training and scientific livestock practices adopted by Scheduled Caste and Tribal farmers across districts. He also encouraged farmers to continue engaging with the Centre for training and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The programme concluded with an interactive Q&A session, during which farmers' queries were addressed regarding access to various government schemes. The session was anchored by Dr. Amol Bhalerao, and the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Sangharatna V. Bahire, both scientists at TEC-IVRI Pune. All scientists from TEC, including Dr. HP Aithal, Dr. SK Das, and Ms. Manisha Naikwade, were present for the programme.

A total of 51 farmers and officials participated in-person, making the event a successful effort in bridging the gap between research institutions and farming communities.

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Nikhil Deshmukh/Parshuram Kor

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(Release ID: 2151724)