IMPHAL, December 1: The Central government had sanctioned Rs 19.49 crores under the 12th Five year Plan for establishment and construction of Multi-technology Centre and Vocational Training Centre under the Central Agricultural Universities in six States of the North East including Manipur under Agriculture and Allied sectors which is still to be undertaken, informed a highly placed source.
The universities are Central Agriculture University Manipur, Mizoram College of Veterinary, Arunachal Pradesh College of Horticulture and Forestry, Sikkim College of Agriculture Engineering and Post Harvesting, Meghalaya College of Home Science and Tripura College of Fishery.
The sanctioned amount was to establish and construction multi technology for testing centers and Vocational Training at an estimated cost of Rs 3.24 crores per centre in each State.
Unfortunately, the institutes are yet to utilise the funds though it is already near the end of the financial year 2015-16 and the funds are meant to be utilize for the construction before March 2017, informed the source.
It is also learnt that 1000 sq m (approx.) of land is required for the construction of each centre, while another 5 to 20 hectares of land is required for establishment of plantation and other purposes.
Sources said the require land is to be processed by the State government under the existing land law or a private individual can donate the site.
The Multi-technology Centres will each have a multi-disciplinary and animal sheds, while the vocational training centres will have 20 bedded hostels for the students, office room and a lecture hall with a 40 seating capacity. And once the constructions are over, it will help in post creation of 104 subject experts for the centres which is also reflected in the plan, informed the source.
Sources also informed that unfortunately, till date there is not even conceptual planning and related works for the construction of the centres.
No detailed project reports have also been prepared by concerned authorities, informed the source.
The failure of the universities will be a big loss for the region informed the source as opening of the centres will mean that many unemployed youths could receive training on agriculture and allied sector including in horticulture, veterinary, fisheries and home sciences.