JAMMU, Jul 16: The Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu, Prof. B. N. Tripathi on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed Guest house Annexe and Soil Research Laboratory at Main Campus Chatha in the presence of all the statutory officers, faculty members, scientists and staff.
The newly established Guest house Annexe has been developed to cater to the growing demand for accommodation of guests visiting the SKUAST Jammu for official purposes such as conferences, meetings, examinations, trainings and other university related activities.
The facility comprises two well-furnished suites and four rooms with attached bathrooms besides dining space providing comfortable and convenient accommodation for visiting dignitaries, experts and officials
In a significant step towards strengthening scientific agriculture and promoting soil health management, a modern Soil Research Laboratory was also inaugurated at SKUAST-J.
On the occasion, Prof. B. N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor emphasized on the importance of scientific soil testing in achieving sustainable agricultural growth and improving farm productivity. He stated that the laboratory would serve as a vital resource for generating reliable soil health information.
The Vice Chancellor highlighted that the establishment of the laboratory under HADP reflects the university’s commitment to supporting the transformation of the agricultural sector in Jammu and Kashmir through technology-driven interventions and farmer-centric services.
The Soil Lab was developed under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP Project-19) entitled “Development of J&K Soil and Land Resource Information System for Planning and Soil Health Management” headed by Prof.Vikas Sharma, PI and Coordinator of the Project.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Director Research, Dr S.K. Gupta looking after the overall HADP programme at SKUAST Jammu, Dr. Anil Kumar, Dean Faculty of Agriculture and Registrar of the University, who’s unwavering support has been instrumental in development of this Lab, Er Kewal Raina, Estates Officer who led the development of civil structure for the Lab, among other statutory officer, scientists, project staff and students.
The newly established laboratory aims to provide better facilities for soil analysis. Equipped with advanced analytical instruments, the facility will facilitate assessment of soil fertility parameters, nutrient status, salinity, and other soil health indicators. It will cater to the need of large volume of soil samples that are essential for detailed soil mapping.