Agricultural univs demand 5-fold hike in central assistance

SRINAGAR: Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities of the country today demanded five-fold hike in central assistance to these institutes and setting up of an Agriculture Educational Research Commission (AERC) to address the issues facing the institutes of higher learning.

"We demand the setting up of AERC to address the issues facing agricultural universities so that the sustainable second green revolution is achieved," President Indian Agricultural Universities Association ( IAUA) C S Chakrabarti told reporters here.

He said this was one of the major debating points during the special meeting of IAUA, a body of vice chancellors of Agricultural universities of the country, which met here today.

Among the other demands, IAUA wants more academic and financial autonomy for the agricultural universities, Chakrabarti said.

He said central assistance to these varsities should be enhanced five times so that the basic needs of academics and research in these institutions are met.

Chakrabarti said state governments should directly provide the funds from the finance department to their respective agricultural universities.

"The agricultural universities need to be given importance as it is these institutions which will provide the next generation technology and manpower for making the second green revolution a success," he said.