NEW DELHI, Sep 26: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the setting up of the new campus of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Gogamukh in Assam would give an impetus to the development of agricultural education and research in Arunachal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, in addition to Assam.
He said this after inaugurating the IARI’s Assam campus on Friday. He said the institute would boost farm education and research activities in the Northeast.
The union cabinet had in May 2017 approved setting up of the IARI in Assam, at a cost of over Rs 155 crore, to promote agri-education and realize a second ‘green revolution’ in the northeastern region.
“As the prefabricated building is ready, the classes of students to be admitted from 2020-21 session will be started at IARI, Assam campus. Initially, three divisions will function, namely, division of crop improvement, division of horticulture and division of animal science & fisheries,” said an official statement.
Tomar announced that the IARI would be named after Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.
“The government is working towards strengthening the agricultural sector
for meeting the challenges of rising population and climate change and ensuring sufficient food reserves at all times,” the statement said.
Commending the role played by farm scientists in bringing about a green revolution by developing several high-yielding seed and crop varieties, Tomar said the country is now not only self-sufficient but also surplus in foodgrains production.
He emphasized on the importance of locally grown crops for enhancing farmers’ income and export opportunities.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal expressed hope that the institute would be able to fulfill its objectives. He emphasized on research activities on locally grown horticultural crops of the region for enhancing farm income of small and marginal farmers.
He expressed hope that the northeastern states would be again known as the ‘bowl of rice’ with the support of the ICAR-IARI, Assam. (PTI)
