SHILLONG: The state government has made it clear that it would not remain quiet if the state is deprived of a full-fledged central agricultural university (CAU) and would aggressively pursue the matter with the central government.
Talking to media persons here on Monday, Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh said that a state government delegation recently met the Prime Minister and Union agriculture minister and apprised them of the stand of the state government for a central agricultural university and not just a college in the state.
Informing that the Union government started the process of setting up the university way back in 2010, he added that the state government also allotted 200 acres of land for the purpose and not for a college.
“After the new government (NDA) was formed we came to know that the project was to be a college and not a university,” he said while adding that soon after the matter came to light, the state government immediately took up the matter with the Prime Minister and the Centre.
“We want a central agricultural university and not a college,” he asserted even as he questioned that if the plan was to set up a college, why was the state government asked to allot as much as 200 acres of land.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) recently warned it would not allow the college to function and demanded a university instead.
