Badal writes to PM for establishing Borlaug Inst

Chandigarh, Feb 24: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday, Feb 24 has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to set up the proposed Borlaug Institute for South Asia' at Ladhowal.

In his letter Badal informed the Prime Minister about the Nobel laureate and father of the Green revolution Dr Norman E Borlaug's close association with Punjab, particularly Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

"Also, Punjab is at the forefront of food grain production in the country and therefore, it would be appropriate if the proposed institute in the memory of Borlaug is established at Ladhowal in the vicinity of Ludhiana city and in close proximity to the Punjab Agricultural University for this purpose," Badal wrote, according to an official release here today.

He added that the state was more than willing to provide free land for setting up of the institute.

Badal also said that he had written to the Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar regarding the establishment of a Wheat Research Center in Borlaugh's name soon after his death.

"We have now received a response from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) that the ministry of agriculture had approved a proposal submitted by International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center to establish a Borlaug Institute for South Asia in the country and the various states had been asked for their interest in facilitating the establishment of this institute," Badal said.

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