Govt approves agri university in Bihar with Rs 295-cr outlay

Ahead of Bihar elections, the government today gave nod for creation of a central agriculture university in Samastipur with an outlay of Rs 295 crore.
Besides, Cabinet gave 'in-principle' approval for reviving the Banana Research Centre at Goraul in Vaishali, sources said.
The decision was approved by the Union Cabinet today, days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state to launch four new schemes at the 87th foundation day of Indian Council of Agricultural Research to be held at Patna on July 25, they added.
According to the decision, the existing state agriculture university at PUSA will be converted into an international level institution through strengthening of infrastructure, manpower and other provisions.

"The university will have six colleges, seven research institutes and eleven Krishi Vigyan Kendras to begin with, and will be greatly strengthened with facilities such as state-of -the-art laboratories," a source said.
The university will also have modern equipment, adequate teaching manpower and necessary civil infrastructure and copious operational provisions to perform on-farm research and frontline extension, sources said.
The government is committed to the task of enhancing agriculture production in eastern region, thereby improving the economic condition of the farmers of the region.