The Khasi Students’ Union of Meghalaya has sent a memorandum to union minister for Agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar in connection with the setting up of the Central Agricultural University at Kyrdemkulai in Ri-Bhoi district.
He influential students’ body of Meghalaya said it is to ensure that the promise to establish the university becomes a reality.
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The memorandum signed by KSU president, Lambok S Marngar and general secretary, Donald V Thabah sought the intervention of Tomar for the setting up of the proposed Central Agricultural University at Kyrdemkulai (Umïam) in Meghalaya.
“As per information acquired through the Right to Information Act by Arju Dkhar, it was observed that since 2010 there was a proposal to set up an autonomous Central Agricultural University in the state of Meghalaya by the Government of India which would cater to the aspirations of the students’ community in the State.
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“Accordingly an agreement was reached between the Central Government and the Government of Meghalaya under Entry 64 of the Union List-I in the same year whereby a plot of land measuring 200 acres was acquired by the Government of Meghalaya at Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi district for the setting up of the said University,” the KSU said.
The KSU also said that subsequently on October 16, 2014, in a letter (D. O. No. 5-7/2008-CAU) from Dr S Ayyapan, the secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research & Education and director general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research to the then chief secretary of Meghalaya, P B O Warjri, it was conspicuously mentioned that the acquired land was for the establishment of a new Central Agricultural University.
On October 28, 2015 a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr S Ayyapan with the officials of the Government of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Department of Agricultural Research in New Delhi to discuss on the various issues for the establishment of the Central Agricultural University in Meghalaya.
“However to the utter dismay of the people of Meghalaya, this year, it was found out that instead of a full-fledged University, a College of Agriculture was established in the said acquired land which is affiliated to the Central Agricultural University headquartered at Imphal in Manipur.
This development had shattered the hopes and aspirations of the people of Meghalaya especially the students’ community, and the people felt that they were duped by the Central Government,” the memorandum stated.