Government to set up more agriculture universities soon: report

New Delhi: Development in the northeast region is a top priority of the government. Recently, the union agriculture minister has agreed to look into the possibility of setting up new agriculture universities and research centers in the northeast. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has directed the Indian Council for Agricultural Research to study the feasibility of opening agriculture and veterinary universities in the northeastern states.

"They had come to us with their demand for improving the infrastructure and strengthening the existing institutions and central universities in the region. Also, they have asked for the setting up of new centers - agriculture, fishery and other such colleges depending on the climatic condition and natural resources in the states. I have assured them that our Ministry will complete this work in the next 1-1.5 years," said Radha Mohan Singh, Union Agriculture Minister.

A delegation led by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju met the agriculture minister recently to push forward a proposal for setting up at least six agriculture universities in the North East along with a few research centers at an estimated cost of over Rs 700 crores. The delegation submitted a memorandum highlighting the requirements of the north-eastern region in the areas of agricultural education and research. Focus will also be given on upgrading the infrastructure of the existing institutions.

"There is one central agriculture university in Manipur and a post graduate training institute in Barapani, Meghalaya. But they don't have proper infrastructure or facilities. Neither do they have a variety of courses that should be there. We have conveyed this concern to the minister.

We have also asked for the setting up of 6 new colleges-agriculture, horticulture or fishery, to cover the entire northeast," said Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs.

Among the few agricultural universities in the region is Assam Agriculture University in Jorhat. The government also plans to strengthen the Imphal based Central Agriculture University, which has colleges in six northeastern states under it.

More research activities and focus on agricultural education will help in making the optimum utilization of the resources and boost agricultural production in the region.

" The farming community, the land and water resources in the state will get a boost. Because they will be working on the land resources of Arunachal, Nagaland and Mizoram . And the technology generated there under their climatic condition will be much more suitable to push productivity ," said Dr. K.M. Bujarbaruah, Vice Chancellor, Assam Agriculture University.

"Probability of selling our products, particularly preserved foods, preserved fruits, flowers and many other products of agriculture is high. They can be exported to South-East Asian countries because of the fact that we people, particularly the people of Northeast India have similar eating habits. So, we can earn a lot and this kind of colleges like the college of food sciences and technology will help the people in northeast ," feels Joykumar Meitei Laishram, Dean, College of Agriculture, Central Agriculture University.

The northeast region is endowed with rich natural resources and the climate condition makes it suitable for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and other crops. There is a huge scope for development in the agricultural sector in the region, which besides bringing revenue will address the employment problem.

Emphasis on the development of agriculture sector will improve the socio-economic condition of the region.