Agri Univ to focus on research for second Green Revolution

Ludhiana, July 19 (UNI) The Punjab government will provide necessary financial support to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to give a push to agricultural diversification, research and development to bring about a second green revolution.

Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who had recently presided over a meeting of senior bureaucrats at Chandigarh, has constituted a sub-committee to give concrete shape to the proposal which envisages utilisation of the Rs 100 crore central grant. Vice-Chancellor K S Aulakh who also attended the meeting called upon the state government to raise the annual fund limit for the university.

Giving details of the meeting, Dr Aulakh said here today that the ''block'' grant given by the government to PAU had remained static at Rs 80 crore for the last few years. This money was not sufficient to meet even the committed liablities, he added.

The Vice-Chancellor has requested the chief minister that this money should be raised to at least Rs 113 crore. On this, the chief minister has asked the chief secretary, Financial Commissioner (Development) and Principal Secretary (Finance) to work out the modalities to meet the requirement of PAU, the Vice Chancellor said.

PAU has also submitted a project to the state government seeking approximately Rs 24 crore for research projects in certain identified crops and technology areas in respect of at least half a dozen specialised areas. It includes the requisite money required for contractual services and contingency needs.

Dr Aulakh said PAU has included a fund of Rs 1.82 crore to launch a state wide technology campaign to demonstrate to the farmers, simple and adaptable technologies for higher production and enhancing family incomes through their adoption.

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