The Hindu Business Line : Grant for TNAU to be used for infrastructure

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Coimbatore Feb. 28 Welcoming the announcement of a Special Grant of Rs 50 crore to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, its Vice-Chancellor, Dr C. Ramaswamy, said, "the State Agricultural Universities have generally been suffering for want of funds. At this juncture, we need to focus on taking agriculture to the next level and this will not be possible without the basic infrastructural facilities."

The university, he said, had submitted a proposal for Rs 100 crore. The development activities proposed by the varsity included establishment of advanced centres such as forecasting and policy centre, remote sensing and GIS, testing-cum-training centre for micro irrigation, establishment of advanced laboratories in nanotech, biotech, phytotron, GMO detection lab, DNA sequencing facility, HR development in distance education and e-learning and for outreach activities.

"Though the grant is far less than our estimated requirement, we will now prioritise our needs," Dr Ramaswamy said.

Without getting into the details of prioritisation, he said a majority of the research stations (numbering 32) lacked basic infrastructure in terms of access roads, ill-equipped laboratories and the condition of the research building and offices - pathetic.

"We will need to strengthen these," he added.

Further, he continued, the State has not strengthened research for red soil area. "We are planning a Dry Land Research Station in Sivaganga District. The site is yet to be identified."

Dr Ramaswamy said a portion of the grant would be used for establishment of a GMO detection lab, one on nanotechnology (useful in weed eradication), an Advanced Policy Research Centre at TNAU and the like. "We will meet, discuss and prioritise."

More Stories on : Budget | Agricultural Institutions | Tamil Nadu

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