Visit of Hon’ble Union Minister Sh. Giriraj Singh at GTC, ICAR-CIRCOT, Nagpur

Sh. Giriraj Singh, Hon’ble Union Textile Minister, Govt. of India along with Smt. Prajakta L Verma, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, visited the Ginning Training Centre (GTC), ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Nagpur on Sept 25, 2024. 

At the outset, Dr. K. Pandiyan, Sr. Scientist & Officer In-charge, GTC, warmly welcomed the Hon’ble Minister and other dignitaries. During the event, Dr. S.K. Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai presented an overview of the institute's activities, emphasizing the need for financial support for establishment of facilities for processing of mechanically harvested cotton at GTC for successful adoption of mechanisation of cotton harvesting in India and upgradation of the fibre testing equipment to enhance research and development in the cotton sector. He also the industry-oriented research work being taken up by CIRCOT for betterment of the Indian cotton.

The Hon’ble Minister highlighted the critical need for mechanization in cotton harvesting for reducing the picking cost. Moreover, he called on scientists to focus on reducing the gossypol content in cottonseed and minimizing contamination in cotton. He encouraged the adoption of advanced mechanization techniques and advocated for the promotion of the Akola pattern of High-Density Planting System (HDPS) across the country to increase lint yields from 450-500 kg/ha to 1200-1300 kg/ha. Additionally, he urged ginning industries to actively work on reducing contamination levels in Indian cotton, aiming for higher quality and productivity. During the occasion the Hon’ble Mininster planted a tree in the institute premises. 

The event was graced by several esteemed guests, including Shri Lalit Kumar Gupta, Chairman-Cum-Managing Director, CCI Ltd., Mumbai; Dr. C. D. Mayee, Former Chairman, ASRB, ICAR-New Delhi; Dr. K. Narsaiah, ADG (PE), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr. A.L. Waghmare, Director, Directorate of Cotton Development, Nagpur, Dr. Y. G. Prasad, Director, ICAR-CICR, Nagpur; Dr. M.K. Sharma, CEO & Whole-time Director, Bajaj Steel Industries Ltd., Nagpur; Sh. Venkat Rao, Chief Operating Officer, Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd., Hyderabad; Shri Bhavesh Shah, President, Vidarbha Cotton Association (VCA); and Shri Ifran Khan, Secretary, VCA, Shri Dilip Thakre, Progressive Farmer, Akola. Their presence demonstrates the significance of the occasion and the collective commitment to advancing the cotton industry in India.