DHEMAJI: Union minister of state for agriculture & farmers welfare, Kailash Choudhary on Monday (March 04) ceremonially inaugurated the much-hypes Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), which is set up under Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) at Dirpai Chapori (Gogamukh) in Assam’s Dhemaji district bordering Arunachal Pradesh.
The union minister accompanied by Lakhimpur Lok Sabha MP Pradan Baruah, Assam education minister Dr Ranoj Pegu and top ranking ICAR officials inaugurated the multi-storied academic block, a guest house and two student hostels inside the IARI premise.
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The foundation stone of the IARI project worth Rs 145 crore at Dirpai was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 26, 2017.
This is the third agriculture research institute in the country as the first and second institutes were set up at Delhi and Jharkhand.
Addressing the local people on the occasion, minister Choudhary said that PM Narendra Modi led central government was putting attention to boost the country’s agriculture sector.
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He said the government has increased the agriculture budget and made the rural farmers able to increase their farm produce double during the last five years.
Choudhary further said the government is putting priority to farming of indigenous varieties of cereal crops and also taking up projects to increase production of edible oil.
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The minister expressed his hope that the IARI would help farmers of the Northeast region by giving them proper technical guidance on natural (organic) farming and use of modern agriculture technologies in farming and crop management.
“The IARI covers academic activities including degree and research doctorate and other innovative activities. The scientists and experts serving in the institute will conduct research on sustainable agriculture development and guide the farmers for eco-friendly farming and use of technologies”, he maintained.
The minister further informed that the learners with other academicians of the institute, who are pursuing degree and research works in adjustment with different institutes of the country, will shift their base at IARI at Dirpai within the month of May this year.
Union Minister of Agriculture, Arjun Munda, who was linked the programme on web-casting, said that establishment of the third IARI at Gogamukh has crossed a milestone in the country’s agriculture sector.
The institute will promote agriculture activities in the northeastern region besides facilitating research activities in the sector, he hoped.
Minister Munda also urged officials in the agriculture research department to work with vision and ensure that farmers of the region will be self-reliant through agriculture and allied activities.
Among other dignitaries, IARI Director Dr AK Singh and ADG (Seed) of ICAR Dr DK Yadav, MP Baruah, and Assam Minister Ranoj Pegu also spoke on the inaugural programme, while Secretary in Department of Agriculture Research & Education cum Director General of ICAR Dr Himangshu Pathok addressed the local farmers on the web.