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Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar

After independence, development of the rural sector was considered the primary concern of the Government of India. In 1949, with the appointment of the Radhakrishnan University Education Commission, imparting of agricultural education through the setting up of rural universities became the focal point. Later, in 1954 an Indo-American team led by Dr. K.R. Damle, the Vice-President of ICAR, was constituted that arrived at the idea of establishing a Rural University on the land-grant pattern of USA. As a consequence a contract between the Government of India, the Technical Cooperation Mission and some land-grant universities of USA, was signed to promote agricultural education in the country. The US universities included the universities of Tennessee, the Ohio State University, the Kansas State University, The University of Illinois, the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Missouri. The task of assisting Uttar Pradesh in establishing an agricultural university was assigned to the University of Illinois which signed a contract in 1959 to establish an agricultural University in the State. Dean, H.W. Hannah, of the University of Illinois prepared a blueprint for a Rural University to be set up at the Tarai State Farm in the district Nainital, UP. In the initial stage the University of Illinois also offered the services of its scientists and teachers. Thus, in 1960, the first agricultural university of India, UP Agricultural University, came into being by an Act of legislation, UP Act XI-V of 1958. The Act was later amended under UP Universities Re-enactment and Amendment Act 1972 and the University was rechristened as Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology keeping in view the contributions of Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant, the then Chief Minister of UP. The University was dedicated to the Nation by the first Prime Minister of India Pt Jawaharlal Nehru on 17 November 1960. The G.B. Pant University is a symbol of successful partnership between India and the United States. The establishment of this university brought about a revolution in agricultural education, research and extension. It paved the way for setting up of 31 other agricultural universities in the country.

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2005 - 20092
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Subject: Agricultural Economics × Author: Gangwar, Ruchi Rani × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2000 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Economics of beekeeping in Nainital district of Uttaranchal
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2005-06) Gangwar, Ruchi Rani; Chaurasia, S.P.R.
    Beekeeping may be one of the important subsidiary enterprises for raising income of small and marginal farmers. Thus, in view of low level of farm income and employment in hill agriculture of Nainital district, beekeeping may serve as an important source of generating additional income and utilize surplus family labour. Therefore, studies were needed to investigate economic aspect of beekeeping. The study was conducted in Haldwani and Bhimtal blocks of Nainital district of Uttaranchal with the following specific objectives: 1. To work out costs and returns of beekeeping 2. To study the marketing pattern and marketing channels for honey followed by beekeepers. 3. To determine the minimum economic size of beekeeping unit. 4. To identify the determinant of honey output. 5. To study the constraints in beekeeping and suggest appropriate policies. The data for fulfilling different objectives were procured from selected beekeepers and various concerned offices (KVIC), Haldwani, Jeolikot Research Station). In total, 50 beekeepers were selected from both the blocks. The study revealed that cost of raising per hive in Bhimtal block (Rs.1510) was relatively higher compared to Haldwani block (Rs.1268). However, the yield of honey per hive was higher in Bhimtal block (20 kg) compared to Haldwani block (18 kg). The average price received per kg of honey by the producers of Haldwani and Bhimtal blocks were Rs.72 and Rs.67 per kg, rescpectively.Net return from honey was higher in Haldwani block (Rs.15) than Bhimtal block (Rs.4). There was monopoly of buyers because of presence of only two marketing channels in the study area. Producers were forced to sell their produce at lower price. As far as sale pattern was concerned, in most of the cases producers tried to dispose off their produce instantaneously in the same month due to lack of storage facilities and weak retention power. 15 and 17 bee hives were found minimum economic size of beekeeping units for Haldwani and Bhimtal blocks, respectively. The number of bee hives was found the most important determinant of increasing honey output. The most important and severe constraints prevailed were marketing of produce and lack of non-availability of suitable market for disposing off the produce, caused the sale of honey at low prices. Major policy implications emerged from the study are: i) There is an urgent need for reorganizing the various agencies involved in promotion and development of beekeeping ii)There should be adequate, well qualified technical staff for providing extension facilities, imparting necessary training and for supplying inputs iii)Pathological studies should be conducted to find out measures for preventing diseases iv) There should be competitive market for marketing of honey output. v)Proper transportation and storage facilities and vi)Suitable arrangement from financing institutions should be made to provide the working expenses to the beekeepers.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Microfinance and women empowerment: an impact study of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2009-08) Gangwar, Ruchi Rani; Tewari, S.K.
    The study aimed to assess the impact of microfinance on socio-economic empowerment of women SHGs members in Nainital district of Uttarakhand .The study was based on the data collected from 87 women members of self help groups (SHGs).The women SHGs were under SGSY and NABARD category. The study aimed to assess the impact of microfinance on socio-economic empowerment of women SHGs members in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The socioeconomic profile of women members of SHGs across the models were compared taking age, poverty level, education, caste, health, type of family, size of family and type of land holdings , income, expenditure , savings and value of assets as variable. The result showed that women members of NABARD model II and III were found to be better off in socio-economic aspects than their counterparts in SHGs under SGSY. The women members of SHGs under NABARD model II and III comparatively received the larger amount of loans at Rs. 13,400 and Rs.19, l967, respectively. Members of women SHGs under NABARD categories also borrowed the higher proportion of loan amount for farm purposes than SGSY. But overall picture showed that more than half (57.4%) of loan amount was used for non farm purposes across all the models. Loans taken by women SHG members directly from banks had the lowest cost of borrowing irrespective of the models due to low interest rates charged by banks (9.5-10%). Loan from SHGs and NGOs had higher cost of borrowing as the interest rates were higher (20-24 % and 15%respectively) and NGOs charged higher processing and legal fee for loans. Interest cost accounted for approximately 81-84 % of the total cost of borrowing in case of loans from banks whereas, it was it was 94-98 % for loans from SHGs and 89-98 % for loans from non institutional sources. The repayment performance of NABARD category was found better than other. The decision making ability/empowerment of women regarding the socio-economic aspects were moderately increased across all the models. The maximum proportion of women members under NABARD category III and II were found to have moderate level of empowerment than SGSY. The result showed that after joining SHGs the decision making power/ability of women members regarding the access to credit, asset building, and income and money expenditure was increased than before. Their participation in political and social activities also increased. Maximum proportion of women members participating in Panchayati Raj Institution was under SGSY model whereas the participation of women members was higher in academic and technical work under NABARD model II and III. The main reason behind the deficient functioning of women SHGs was economic problem regardless of the type of the model under which the SHG functions. The results suggest that the procedure for credit access to women should be made more easy and simple. There is need to sensitize the bank staff towards the needs, constraints and inhibitions of women, need to evolve training packages for entrepreneurship development to enable rural women as successful business managers. Social capability building programmes should be organized to promote small savings and women’s active role in developmental activities and to enhance socio-economic empowerment of women.