PSU banks plan training centres for farmers

Karnataka will soon join its neighbouring states, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, in setting up a dedicated training centre for farmers. A group of public sector banks, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), government of Karnataka and an educational institution have joined together to set up the state’s first residential vocational training centre for farmers at Bagalkote, one of the backward districts in north Karnataka. 

The state level bankers’ committee had initiated the move in this direction following a suggestion from the Central government recently. Lead banks in Karnataka and Nabard will pool in resources required for setting up the training centre. 

According to George Joseph, CMD, Syndicate Bank and convenor of SLBC, the state has allotted eight acres at Navanagar in Bagalkote for setting up the training institute. 

“We have just got the land allotted for the purpose. We have formed a sub-committee under SLBC comprising representatives from State Bank of Mysore, Canara Bank, department of agriculture and SLBC to formalise the details of the institute. The detailed project report to execute the project is under preparation and we are in the process of finalising the cost of setting up the institute,” he told Business Standard. 

The sub committee is constituted under the chairm-anship of principal secretary, department of commerce and industries, representatives of 7 lead banks and commissioner for agriculture as members.

The committee members will visit Hyderabad where AP Bankers Institute of Rural and Entrepreneurship Development to study and acquaint with the organisational details. The committee has decided to hand over the task of preparing the detailed project report to a professional body. 

The establishing of farm-ers’ training centre involves creation of infrastructure like buildings for office, class room, hostel, residential quarters for staff, furniture, office and field equipment, lab facilities, among others. 

Joseph said the farmers’ training centre will act as a vocational training centre where farmers will be imparted training on various aspects of farming and allied activities. The training centre will be registered as a society under Societies Registration Act, 1960 with members from government of Karnataka, NABARD, lead banks and Basaveshwara Veerashaiva Vidhyavardhaka Sangha of Bagalkote.