Dr M. Madhu, Director, ICAR-IISWC, Dehradun visited Research Centre, Kota during April, 13-14, 2023 for monitoring research and development activities being carried out at the Centre. He was accompanied by Shri S.K. Gajmoti, CAO (SG), and Shri Pramod Kumar, Technical Officer from Head Quarters. On 13th April, 2023 (FN), the Director and his team members got acquainted with the repair & maintenance, and renovation of drinking water facilities for office and residential premises of the Centre. In the afternoon session, an interaction meeting was chaired by the Director with all the staffs and contractual workers of the Centre. He reviewed the progress of actions assigned in his last visit to the Centre in July, 2022.

On 14th April, 2023, the Director along with the team of scientists and technical personnels made a visit to the TSP and SCSP villages at Pali and Kareeria villages of Bundi district, respectively. In SCSP village, he monitored the soil and water conservation works including bunding and inter-bunding levelling, spillway and check dams being constructed by the Centre for resource poor farmers of the village. He appreciated the efforts being made by the Team Kota for ongoing work of irrigation facilities being undertaken in the marginal lands of the poor communities. On this occasion, a meeting of farmers was also organized to know about the demands of the farmers of the village. In this meeting, solar fencing to 13 groups of farmers of the SCSP village for protection of crop from wild life was distributed by the Director.

A similar farmers meeting was also organized in the TSP village, Pali, where farmers welcomed the Director and team members with traditional Safa and Tilak ceremonies. In this meeting, while monitoring the ongoing works, he interacted with farmers and gave assurances for developmental activities and soil and water conservation measures for the resource poor farmers of the TSP village. Alike the SCSP village, solar fencing to 13 groups of farmers of the TSP village for protection of crop from wild life was also distributed. In the end, Dr. Shakir Ali, Principal Scientist (Engg.) and Head Research Centre, extended vote of thanks to the Director, team Kota Centre and farmers. After returning from SCSP and TSP site, he also conducted a meeting of the Scientists and technical staffs after lunch, and extended his views on various activities of the Centre including R&D and future course of actions. The visit was ended with vote of thanks to the Director and staff members of the RC, Kota by Dr. Shakir Ali, Principal Scientist (Engg.) and Head.