ITANAGAR, Nov 26 � Union Minister for Agriculture & Food Processing Industries Sharad Pawar today laid the foundation stone of the College of Agriculture at Pasighat, the headquarters of East Siang district, in the presence of a host of State leaders, including Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and Minister of State for Minority Affairs Ninong Ering, among others.
The College of Agriculture has, in fact, already started its academic session from this year with 20 students.
Addressing a public meeting held on the occasion, Pawar said, �I remember, immediately after taking over as Chief Minister, Nabam Tuki and Agriculture Minister Setong Sena met me in Delhi and requested for establishment of an Agriculture College in the State. Looking at their sincere request and knowing very well the peace loving society of Arunachal Pradesh, we went out of the way and sanctioned this college.� The Union Minister said that this must be the first case in the country where a college has been sanctioned and operationalised in such a short span of time.
Hailing Arunachal for its rapid progress in agriculture and horticulture sector, Pawar added that his ministry has almost doubled the allocation under various windows as compared to year 2007-08. He said, on request of the Chief Minister and the Agriculture Minister last year, he had promptly extended the National Food Security Mission-Rice component not only for Arunachal Pradesh but for all the NE States.
The Union Minister informed that this year, his ministry has allocated over Rs 15 crore for National Food Security Mission (NSFM), Rs 32 crore for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Rs 48 crore for Horticulture Mission.
Pawar also offered assistance from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in building cold storage chains, modern slaughter houses and processing units. In fact, the Ministry had last week sanctioned a grant of Rs 9 crore for establishment of a modern slaughter house at Itanagar besides approval for a KVK in Anjaw and in two other districts, he informed.
