The Lok Sabha today passed a bill to include Nagaland under the jurisdiction of Imphal Central Agriculture University (CAU) to help the north-eastern state achieve higher growth in animal husbandry sector.
The Central Agricultural University (Amendment) Bill, 2016, was introduced by Minister of State for Agriculture Sudarshan Bhagat last week.
Replying to a debate on the bill, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said Nagaland has been devoid of the advantages of agriculture and allied education for the last 20-21 years. The law will help in promoting the sector in Nagaland, he said.
"The government is fully committed to the development of the north-eastern region of the country. Every month, one minister from here visits the region, which reflects our commitment for those states," he said.
Singh said the government is giving huge impetus to agriculture education and this notion is wrong that youth is not attracted towards this sector.
"People wearing jeans are coming into this area and are using new and modern technologies," he said adding if every district would have an agri college, it will boost the growth of India.
On July 27, the Cabinet approved the amendment in relevant clauses of the Central Agricultural University Act (CAU), 1992, to include Nagaland under the jurisdiction of CAU, Imphal.
The amendment will help Nagaland to reap the benefit of the Imphal Central Agriculture University, established for the entire north eastern region.
The bill seeks to amend the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992, that was enacted for the establishment and incorporation of a university for the north-eastern region in order to promote development and research in agriculture and allied sectors.
However, the definition of 'North-Eastern region' and the jurisdiction of the Central Agricultural University under the said Act did not cover the state of Nagaland.
After the passage of the amendment bill, Nagaland would get all the facilities that other north-eastern states get under this Act.
After inclusion of Nagaland under jurisdiction of the Central Agricultural University, the College of Veterinary Sciences in Nagaland would produce the much-needed professional manpower in the fields of animal husbandry, which will facilitate socio-economic growth in the region.
The new college would help familiarise the farmers with new techniques, thereby contributing to the production and productivity of domestic animals in the State of Nagaland.
Earlier, Minister of State S S Ahluwalia said the
legislation was necessitated because Nagaland and Assam had opted out of the Central Agricultural University. He said Nagaland wants to open a veterinary college in the state with affilaition to a Central Agricultural University.
Urging the members to pass the Bill without any discussion, he said the passing of legislation was crucial because the academic year of the students was at stake.
Rammohan Naidu (TDP) said while the discussion was on Nagaland, the state of Andhra Pradesh also required a Central Agriculture University as the one it had in the united Andhra has now gone to Telangana.
The AP Reorganisation Bill also talks of having 11 institutes of national importance, but the Centre has now said it cannot have such institutes everywhere, he said.
Supporting the bill, Thockhom Meinya (Congress) urged the government to have a facility to promote acqua-culture in Manipur as fish are now coming to his state from Andhra Pradesh and Myanmar even when the staple food of locals was fish and rice.
Aparupa Poddar (TMC) and Nagendra Pradhan (BJD) also supported the Bill.
Supporting the bill, Varaprasad Rao (YSRCP) said 70-80 per cent people in the north east are dependent on agriculture and development of this region is important.
JD (U) member Kaushalendra Kumar said huge opportunities are there in the agri sector in the north-eastern states.
