New Delhi:
The government on Wednesday approved an expenditure of Rs 200.78 crore for the setting up of an off-campus of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Jharkand.
IARI is the country's premier national institute for agricultural research, education and extension and its campus is located in the national capital. "The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the 12th Plan proposal of the DARE/ICAR Plan Scheme of the 'Establishment of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)-Jharkhand'," an official statement said.
"It will have an estimated outlay of Rs 200.78 crore (100 per cent ICAR share) on 1,000 acre land provided by the Government of Jharkhand at the Gauria Karma Village in Barhi Block of Hazaribag," it added.
The expenditure of Rs 200.78 crore will be incurred from 2016-17 fiscal to 2019-20, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. IARI-Jharkhand would have all the hallmark identities as that of IARI at New Delhi including all sectors of agriculture like field crops, horticultural crops, agro-forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry, piggery, silk and lac rearing, honey production.
"It will be an off-campus of IARI, New Delhi and integrated multi-disciplinary research would be undertaken in School mode, i.e. Schools of Crop Sciences, Natural Resource Management, and Animal Sciences," the statement said.
The new institute would work on the agrarian challenges and complexities of eastern India with all existing central and state government R&D institutions and private sector enterprises.
It would undertake research, education, extension programmes in its mission towards developing quality human resource, generation of farmer friendly technologies to enhance productivity, quality and profitability.
IARI-Jharkhand would also promote agro-based industries and generate employment opportunities for holistic and sustainable development of the farm sector in the eastern region.
