Sharad Pawar announces central gricultural university for Bundelkhand

NEW DELHI: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today announced setting up of Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University at Jhansi in Madhya Pradesh.

He said the government will soon float a tender for starting the construction of the university.

Initially, two colleges will be set up at Jhansi. While colleges for agriculture & horticulture and forestry will be in Uttar Pradesh, colleges for veterinary & animal sciences and fisheries will be in Madhya Pradesh, he added.

"In Bundelhand region, people are largely dependent on agriculture for their livelihood as there is no other industry. Setting up an institute of national importance would help farmers as well as students in the state," Pawar said after in inaugurating the Pusa Krishi Mela here.

Bundelkhand is among few regions which are lagging behind in agriculture, he said while sharing rationale behind setting up of an agriculture university in this region.

Asserting that the country's agriculture sector has transformed in the last ten years, Pawar said, "Farmers are earning foreign exchange. They are not only feeding our people but also other countries."

Pawar said that a bill to pave way for setting up of the Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University was passed in Parliament last week.

As per the bill, the university will have jurisdiction over the Bundelkhand region, covering seven districts in Uttar Pradesh and six in Madhya Pradesh.

Union Minister of State for Rural Development Pradeep Jain and Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Anand Singh were also present at the event.