NEW DELHI: The Centre had decided to set up a Central Agricultural University (CAU) in each of the 15 climatic zones in the country in consultation with ICAR, but so far only four of these have become a reality, including the one in Imphal.
Union Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar disclosed this while replying to Shillong MP Vincent Pala in the Lok Sabha recently during which he also ruled out a CAU for Meghalaya which has been a long-standing demand. The minister said that Meghalaya would have to remain satisfied with only a college.
Explaining the background, Tomar said in 2009, the then Planning Commission and the government had decided to have a CAU in Meghalaya meant for both the hill state and Nagaland.
“This was decided primarily because Nagaland did not come under the works area of the Imphal university,” he added.
However, in 2016, the act governing Imphal university was amended and Nagaland was included, the minister said, adding a separate CAUis not needed.
“All MPs would want to have a central university in their region but that is not possible,” he curtly told Pala when he was insisting on having a CAU in Meghalaya.
He also admitted that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh had met him recently and submitted a request, which he said, will be examined.
Pala persisted how his predecessor Radhamohan Singh promised to set up CAU in the state when he visited the state in 2016 and in 2018. But the minister clarified that when his predecessor had visited Meghalaya, land had been already allotted and that is why he must have promised and this must have been the thought process then.
“I respect the member’s sentiments, but now an agriculture college has been opened there, which has 18 students,” Tomar said.
“I understand, the Imphal University can cover the area”, he added.