Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute at Gogamukh in Assam on Friday.
The Prime Minister said the foundation stone of IARI laid, had the potential to impact the entire region in a positive way in the future. He said agriculture needs to be developed in line with the requirements of the 21st century. He added that farmers must benefit from the changing technology.
While laying stress on the need of modern agriculture and technological interventions, keeping in mind the specific needs of the region the Prime Minister spoke of his vision of doubling farmers' incomes by 2022, the 75th anniversary of independence.
Speaking on the occasion, the Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that to bring in another round of green revolution in the north-eastern parts of the country, the Prime Minister is laying the foundation stone of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Assam, which is literally a replica of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.
History of IARI:
· The journey of IARI started in PUSA, Darbhangha (Samastipur) district of North Bihar in 1905. At that time it was called the Agricultural Research Institute.
· Afterwards it was renamed as Imperial Institute of Agricultural Research in 1911 and as Imperial Agricultural Research Institute in 1919.
· The institute was transferred to Delhi on 29 July 1936.
· After Independence it was re-christened as Indian Agricultural Research Institute and it was given the status of Deemed University in 1958.
· This institute is the harbinger of the Green revolution. The new technologies and high yielding varieties developed at this institute and their demonstrations at farmers’ farm led to the Green Revolution.
· There is a web of higher education institutes like IITs, IIMs etc., in the country. On the similar pattern our government has planned to establish agricultural research institutes like IARI, New Delhi, to promote higher agricultural education.
· In this series one IARI was established in Jharkhand and now another is being established in Assam.
