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Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

The history of agricultural education in Kerala can be traced back to the year 1896 when a scheme was evolved in the erstwhile Travancore State to train a few young men in scientific agriculture at the Demonstration Farm, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, presently, the Cropping Systems Research Centre under Kerala Agricultural University. Agriculture was introduced as an optional subject in the middle school classes in the State in 1922 when an Agricultural Middle School was started at Aluva, Ernakulam District. The popularity and usefulness of this school led to the starting of similar institutions at Kottarakkara and Konni in 1928 and 1931 respectively. Agriculture was later introduced as an optional subject for Intermediate Course in 1953. In 1955, the erstwhile Government of Travancore-Cochin started the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy, Thrissur for imparting higher education in agricultural and veterinary sciences, respectively. These institutions were brought under the direct administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry, respectively. With the formation of Kerala State in 1956, these two colleges were affiliated to the University of Kerala. The post-graduate programmes leading to M.Sc. (Ag), M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees were started in 1961, 1962 and 1965 respectively. On the recommendation of the Second National Education Commission (1964-66) headed by Dr. D.S. Kothari, the then Chairman of the University Grants Commission, one Agricultural University in each State was established. The State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) were established in India as an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System to give the much needed impetus to Agriculture Education and Research in the Country. As a result the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was established on 24th February 1971 by virtue of the Act 33 of 1971 and started functioning on 1st February 1972. The Kerala Agricultural University is the 15th in the series of the SAUs. In accordance with the provisions of KAU Act of 1971, the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, were brought under the Kerala Agricultural University. In addition, twenty one agricultural and animal husbandry research stations were also transferred to the KAU for taking up research and extension programmes on various crops, animals, birds, etc. During 2011, Kerala Agricultural University was trifurcated into Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and Kerala Agricultural University (KAU). Now the University has seven colleges (four Agriculture, one Agricultural Engineering, one Forestry, one Co-operation Banking & Management), six RARSs, seven KVKs, 15 Research Stations and 16 Research and Extension Units under the faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Forestry. In addition, one Academy on Climate Change Adaptation and one Institute of Agricultural Technology offering M.Sc. (Integrated) Climate Change Adaptation and Diploma in Agricultural Sciences respectively are also functioning in Kerala Agricultural University.

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Subject: Rural Banking and Finance × End date: 1993 × Start date: 1990 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Inter district and inter sectoral disparities in banking development in Kerala
    (Department of Rural Banking and Finance, College of Co-operation and Banking, Mannuthy, 1991) Roy Thomas; KAU; Mohandas, M
    The reduction of glaring inter-regional and inter-sectoral imbalances in banking development had been one of the prime concerns of planners and policy makers in India. For this purpose a variety of policy measures were introduced by the government of India and RBI since the nationalization of 14 major commercial banks in 1969. This study was undertaken to examine the extent and pattern of inter-district and inter-sectoral disparities in banking development in all the eleven districts of Kerala existing in 1973. Data relating to the districts of Pathanamthitta, Wayanad and Kasargod which came into existence after 1975 were allocated to those districts which covered these areas on a pro-rata basis. The study was primarily based on secondary data collected from the Basic Statistical Returns relating to banks published by the RBI. The study covered all scheduled commercial banks including Regional Rural Banks for the period from 1973 to 1988. The inter-temporal coefficient of variation and disparity ratio were worked out from the time series data to understand the trend in inter-district and inter- sectoral disparities during the study period. The computation of component scores from the ranks of each district during each year of the study period in respect of the determinants helped to understand the relative position of each district in the selected indicators. The districts were classified according to percentage achievement of each district compared to the state mean with respect to each of the indicators in order to find out the extent of disparity for three selected years viz. 1973, 1980 and 1988. The path correlation is computed to examine the relative role of the selected factors contributing to inter- district disparities. The coefficient of variation and disparity ratio in respect of all the indicators except credit- deposit ratio and per capita industrial advances exhibited a declining trend in inter- district and inter- sectoral disparities during the study period. In respect of these two indicators there was no clear trend. At the same time, the coefficient of variation and disparity ratio were significantly higher in respect of the indicators of inter- sectoral disparities compared to the inter- district disparities. Among the determinants of inter- district disparities the highest coefficient of variation and disparity ratio were observed in the case of per capita credit. On the other hand the disparity was seen to be the lowest in credit- deposit ratio. At the same time, the per capita industrial advances showed the highest variation in respect of inter- sectoral disparities, while the other indicators exhibited more or less same pattern of variation. Since Ernakulam district had uniformly the highest ranking in respect of all the indicators, it had the highest composite score among all the districts in the state. On the other hand Malappuram, Idukki and Palghat had lowest rankings during the whole reference period. The performance of Kottayam and Trivandrum were better than the state average while Cannanore had a composite score below the state average. Alleppey, Quilon, Thichur and Kozhikode exhibited more or less average performance. However, the districts below and above the state average did not form homogeneous groups and much deviation had been observed from the state average. For instance, the performance of Malappuram and Idukki in respect of most of the indicators were even less than 50 per cent of the state average whereas it was invariably more than 75 per cent of the state mean in Ernakulam district. Among the determinants of inter- district disparities, density of population, per capita gross cropped area, per capita income and work participation rate were found to be more significant in terms of high positive correlation. At the same time it may be noted that all the determinants were significantly correlated with dependent variable in all the districts. Comparatively low value of residuals testify the validity of the selection of independent variables. The trends in inter- district disparities broadly supports the trends in regional disparities brought by certain studies at the national level by Subhas K. Basu (1973), Sing V. K and Pandey U. K. (1983), Balakrishnan (1987) and Chippa M. L. (1988). Thus it may be concluded from the available evidences that though the inter- district disparities in banking development in Kerala had been declining, certain degree of imbalances still persist more due to the effects of infrastructural and sectoral disparities. The existing disparity can be minimized by adopting a planned strategy of regional development. The recent policy initiatives like decentralized planning at the district level, revival of three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions and the adoption of Service Area Approach to rural lending can play a vital role in eliminating the present level of disparities both in development as well as in banking development.