Badal urges centre to release 100 crore of PAU

Patiala, Sep 17 (UNI) Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today urged the central government to release the promised grant of Rs 100 crore for Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.

In an informal chat with mediapersons at Sanaur near here, he pointed out that about two and half years had lapsed and the promised grant for promotion of research was yet to reach PAU.

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram had announced this grant for PAU in his budget speech in 2006 in Parliament. .

Mr Badal further said that the state government would knock the doors of the Union Government for seeking a special package for the farmers of the state.

He said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already patted the farmers for the record production of wheat this year. Union Agricultural minister Shard Pawar had promised to give a special package in the shape of bonus or a gift for the Punjab farmers, he claimed.

Mr Badal said that he had already written a letter to the Prime Minister for announcing a bonus on the wheat procured this year. " I will again remind the PM", he added.

Earlier Mr Badallaid the stone of new vegetable market for Sanaur. This new air-conditioned vegetable market will be constructed on 16.50 acre at a cost of Rs 23 crore and it will be ready in next 15 months.

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