5 yrs on, horticulture institute in Amritsar remains on paper

Amritsar, February 27, 2021 (Neeraj Bagga- Tribune News Service):- Residents of Chhiddan village on the Amritsar-Attari road are peeved at the long delay in setting up of the Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education (PGIHRE).

The announcement had given a hope to farmers of the region of diversifying their crops. The residents of villages around the proposed site of PGIHRE believe it would herald tremendous business opportunities for them. Ahead of the state budget, the demand is growing for a separate budgetary allocation of funds for the proposed institute. Even five years after the announcement of the ambitious PGIHRE, the state government is yet to acquire land for it. Four months back, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had issued a notification for the commencement of social impact assessment to purchase over 32 acres of land. The task was to be undertaken by Guru Nanak Dev University.

A chunk of 100 acres was transferred in the name of ICAR at Attari village in 2015 and three years later, a site selection committee of the ICAR had approved the site at Chhiddan village, which is situated 10 km from the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post and nearly 12 km from the holy city. Kulwant Singh, a farmer, said, “The development of the prestigious institute of national importance remains in the initial stage. The undue delay in the establishment and functioning of the institute is causing huge losses to the farming community as researchers and scientists of the institute will be instrumental in providing modern techniques, infrastructure and horticulture-related knowledge to us. Crop diversification, drip irrigation and spray irrigation will be promoted among farmers which will also improve the depleting water table.”

Manmohan Singh Brar, President of the Amritsar Vikas Manch, demanded that the government must authorise the finance and agriculture ministries to complete the formalities regarding budget allocation for the purchase of land, so that ICAR may start the development of PGIHRE, Amritsar, at the earliest.