The aecond agricultural university of the State will soon come up in Godda district. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has already approved the proposal to this effect submitted by the Government of Jharkhand for which required land has also been provided in Godda.
Minister, Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation, Randhir Kumar Singh made the announcement for the new Agriculture University while addressing a function celebrating the 38th Foundation Day of Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) on Tuesday.
The Minister said, “The State Government has resolved to turn Jharkhand into an organic State by 2028 to ensure availability of nutritious cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables and spices, completely free from the harmful chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and weedicides, to the people of the State. Scientists and students of BAU, officials of agriculture and allied departments and farmers of Jharkhand will have to work in unison to meet the deadline of organic Jharkhand.”
Singh announced that Rs50 crore would be provided to BAU during the current fiscal for accomplishing the work of the five new colleges, started last year. Notably, new agricultural colleges in Godda, Deoghar and Garhwa, Dairy Technology College in Dumka and Fisheries Technology College in Gumla were started during the academic session 2017-18 but their classes are still running at headquarters of BAU, Kanke due to non-completion of college buildings in the respective districts.
The Minister further added that over 6.5 lakh dobhas (small water harvesting structures) were constructed and over 12000 public and private ponds were rejuvenated in the state during last three and half years.
Singh stated, “The second green revolution will come from eastern India consisting Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and north eastern states as major agriculture hubs like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh etc have reached their saturation point and no additional land is available there for farming.” He advised the BAU officials to work in coordination with the departments of agriculture, animal husbandry, cooperation, forests and environment and irrigation for better outcome.
Kanke MlA Dr Jitu Charan Ram, on the occasion, urged the Minister (Agriculture) to make provision of stipends for all the Under Graduate/Post Graduate students and set up a research institute on the pattern of Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun for proper development and expansion of forest cover in the State.