Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal has urged the Union Water Resources Ministry not to shift Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water Training & Research Institute (RGNGWTRI) located in Chhattisgarh to another State.
As per official information, in a letter addressed to the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti, Agrawal urged her not to shift the institute to some other State.
Taking note of the request, the Union Minister has assured of taking appropriate steps after thoroughly reviewing the case, officials informed.
“The scientists at RGNGWTRI study the situation of ground water and its developmental aspects. This institute also informs scientists coming to Chhattisgarh from other states and foreign countries about the water reserves here,” Agrawal mentioned in the letter.
According to him, the Union Ministry of Water Resources has completed the preparations for shifting RGNGWTRI to Pune in Maharashtra.
“For this institute, Chhattisgarh government has already allocated 50 acres of land at Naya Raipur and if this institute is shifted to another State then it will be an irredeemable loss to Chhattisgarh,” he said while adding the shifting would also jeopardise the future of farmers, research scholars and ground water-scientists in Chhattisgarh.
Agrawal appealled the Union Minister not to shift the institute to another State.
He informed that former Union Minister late Vidyacharan Shukla had established RGNGWTRI in the 1990s. The institute was established at zero point in Mowa and after the division of Madhya Pradesh the office campus was allocated to Chhattisgarh legislative Assembly.
“For keeping this institute in Chhattisgarh, 50 acres land has been allocated at Tuta and Kendri village at Naya Raipur and the detailed project report (DPR) for its building is also ready,” he said.