SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today shrugged away from giving any commitment to Meghalaya having its own Central Agriculture University (CAU) but assured that the state government has been relentlessly pursuing it and will continue to do so.
“We have the same concerns as it is an important project and will also cover other North East states. We are relentlessly following it but cannot give commitment but will assure will continue to pursue it,” said the Chief Minister during the question and answer round of the budget session of the State Assembly on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister informed that there is land acquisition for the purpose of setting of CAU at Kyrdemkulai, Ri Bhoi District and a total amount of Rs 5,49,66,115 has been released to the Deputy Commissioner for the land.
Replying to a query whether the land was used for the designated purpose or for other purposes, the Chief Minister informed that the Government of India has utilised the gifted land for setting up of a constituent college of Agriculture (COA) affiliated to the existing CAU, Imphal.
He also informed that the State Government has handed over MeECL land measuring 18 acres more or less located at Umktieh, Umiam to the CAU, Imphal for setting up of a constituent college of post graduate studies for agriculture sciences.
Opposition Congress Legislator, Ampareen Lyngdoh pointed out that the demand for the setting up of state’s own CAU is pending since 2019.
Replying to it, the Chief Minister said that the matter is actually pending from 2008 and has gone through a series of event.
“We are constantly pursuing this matter and the Government of India has replied many times that they are examining the matter,” he said.
He recalled that the Planning Commission had approved the proposal in 2010 and DARE and ICAR had recommended the site and in 2015 there was a proposal to establish this through an Act of Parliament and meetings took place at ICAR but observations were made and things started changing.
He said that communications were going on and the State Government was working on it while seat arrangements would also be done.
Earlier, he had also informed that the Government of India has responded by forwarding a copy of statement laid on the table of the House of Parliament (Lok Sabha) on June 6, 2019.