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Rural knowledge hub launched

Staff Reporter

Aim is to make each of the 600,000 villages as knowledge centres

PONDICHERRY: Lt Governor M.M. Lakhera has appealed to M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) to extend benefits of its rural knowledge centres functioning in Pondicherry to the Karaikal region.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the Foundation's `rural knowledge centre hub' at Pillayarkuppam near here on Thursday.

Mr. Lakhera earlier released a CD on rural development and inaugurated an Internet FM radio network.

Chairman of the National Commission for Farmers and founder of the MSSRF, M.S. Swaminathan said the Foundation had made investments of Rs. 1 crore towards equipment and infrastructure development in Pondicherry.

Local people should have a sense of ownership of these facilities. Leading bankers were supporting the women self help groups in the villages.

He thanked the senior programme specialist of international development research centre, Canada, Renald Lafond for the technical help extended for the Foundation's project here.

The aim was to make each of the 600,000 villages into knowledge centres.

Assembly Speaker M.D.R. Ramachandran said that MSSRF was doing excellent work in honing the skills of the rural people. The self-help groups were doing their bit for empowerment, he said.

Local Administration Minister A. Elumalai said the commune panchayat would link the main road to the rural knowledge centre hub in Pillayarkuppam.

Lennart Bage, president of International Fund for Agricultural Development (Rome), said development was more important than technology, although without cutting-edge technologies success was not possible. He appreciated the work done with global thrust in the rural knowledge centres.

Dr. Lafond referred to the importance of rural knowledge centre in helping the local community get information of agriculture, fisheries and benefits available under government schemes.

U. Rajalakshmi, president of bio-village council of Pillayarkupam and B. Kasthuri a Fellow of Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy, executive director M. Velayutham and K G Rajamohan of the Foundation also spoke.

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