We need to diversify our agricultural practices as the traditional cropping system is no more existence in the future economy and University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) is going to redefine its priorities by focusing on transgenic crops, biotechnology, precision agriculture and water economy so as to equip its graduates with emerging agricultural and business skills.
This was stated by Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while presiding over the 34th meeting of University Senate here at New Senate Hall on Friday. He told the meeting that UAF administration intends to establish a corporate management culture at campus and striving hard to showcase its technology packages through its outreach programmes.
Professor Iqrar A Khan said that UAF was on forefront in addressing the agricultural and economic issues on many fronts. He underlined the need for simultaneous and constant efforts for changing the mindset of society regarding university with its presence among the masses through its community services.
He told the house that UAF is enjoying its R&D ties with national and international agencies as its 12 students will pursue their free higher education at France while University of Western Australia and various US universities will extend their R&D support by offering matching study grants to UAF students.
Commenting upon the MoUs signed by UAF with other institutions, he said they were not mere piece of papers but we are proactively pursuing the objectives of such MoUs. He said that poverty is the prime cause of unrest in the rural society, which needs to be eliminated by promoting agro-based business at rural level so as to contain them at their homes and bring prosperity in their homes.
Dr Iqrar told the house that he intends to establish a women complex by merging Khalid Hall, Qasim and Khatijatul Kubra Hall with state of the art sports facilities for 3,000 female students. He informed the meeting that in a bid to bring forward a soft and pleasant image of the university, they organised about 68 programmes of community interaction and service. The VC lauded the efforts of public relations and publications department in bridging the gap between society and the University.
Earlier, Treasurer, Rana Abdul Ghafoor Khan while presenting the highlights of budget for 2007-08, said that HEC released an amount of Rs 495.890 million against the committed amount of Rs 620.390 million imposing a drastic cut of Rs 124.500 million at eleventh hour which badly disturbed the university budget resulting in pending liability of Rs 29.638 million which has been cleared during the year 2008-09.
Further, the income from own resources was originally estimated at Rs 220 million, which has been increased to Rs 241.782 million. He said that during the year 2007-08 the total revised receipts of the University remained at Rs 785.996 million against the original estimates of Rs 909.314 million with variation of Rs 123.318 million.
Rana Abdul Ghafoor Khan also presented the proposed budget for the financial year 2008-09 and said that HEC has communicated UAF that a grant of Rs 613.748 million would be released during the current financial year which is less by Rs 6.642 million as compared with the previous year commitment.
He added that against the receipts of Rs 887.568 million, expenditures are likely to be Rs 1045.423 million with Rs 157.855 deficit. Additional Secretary Planning Tahir Khurshid assured the house that all possible help for resolving various outstanding issues of UAF will be taken up with government of Punjab. Registrar Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain conducted the Senate proceedings as Secretary Senate.