SHILLONG:The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has sent a memorandum to the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar on the proposed Central Agricultural University in Kyrdemkulai demanding that the promised and proposed Central Agricultural University in Meghalaya becomes a reality.
Seeking his intervention with regard to the setting up of the university in the state, the union referred to the RTI sought by Arju Dkhar where it was observed that there has been pending proposal since 2010 to set up an autonomous Central Agricultural University in the state of Meghalaya by the Government of India which would cater to the aspirations of the students’ community in the state of Meghalaya.
An agreement was reached between the Central Government and the state government of Meghalaya under Entry 64 of the Union List I in the same year whereby a plot of land measuring 200 acres was acquired by the Government of Meghalaya in Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi District for the setting up of the said University.
Further the union said, subsequently on October 16, 2014 in a letter from Dr. S. Ayyapan, the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research & Education and Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research to the then Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, P. B. O Warjri, it was conspicuously mentioned that the acquired land was for the establishment of a new Central Agricultural University.
On October 28, 2015 a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr. S. Ayyapan with the officials of the Government of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Department of Agricultural Research in New Delhi to discuss on the various issues for the establishment of the Central Agricultural University in Meghalaya.
The union asserted that the people of Meghalaya especially the students’ community felt that they were duped by the Central Government after learning that a College of Agriculture would be set up in lieu of a university.
They informed the Union Minister that the KSU also protested on the premises of the proposed land for the CAU on June 21.
Everyone was unanimous that the state needs a full-fledged and an autonomous Central Agricultural University with powers vested in the proposed headquarters in Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya and not merely a college with affiliations to a headquarter outside the state.