NEW DELHI: The issue of setting up a Central Agricultural University (CAU) in Meghalaya was raised in Parliament on Friday by Wansuk Syiem, MP, who demanded immediate intervention of the Centre.
Wansuk demanded that the Centre must establish an independent and full-fledged autonomous CAU in
Meghalaya as per its own commitment. The foundation stone for the state campus of CAU was laid by none other than the then Union Agriculture Minister,
Radhamohan Singh, in 2016 at Kyrdemkulai, she said in a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha.
The minister had then committed that the institute will not function as an affiliate of CAU, Regional Campus, Imphal, Wansuk reminded. He also had assured that the campus in Meghalaya will be accorded full-fledged university status.
Incidentally, the Meghalaya government had also assured on the floor of the Assembly that there will be a full-fledged CAU at Kyrdemkulai. It had acquired land and handed it over for the University.
The Central Agricultural University, Imphal was established by an act of Parliament, the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992. The jurisdiction of the university extends to the seven Northeastern hill states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland and Tripura.
The objective of the university is to train post graduate students of agriculture from these states. It is expected that these students would eventually become the torchbearers for enhancing the agricultural growth and livelihood support for the farming and rural community as a whole in the region.
Wansuk reminded the Centre that as per its commitment for a university, Meghalaya government had acquired land and now the state has a right to get what it was promised.
Meghalaya is basically an agrarian state with no industry and other avenues, the MP said. The CAU will meet the aims and ambitions of many young tribal students to go for scientific farming back in the state, she added.
