Lok Sabha Question No. 519 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-06
Subject: Centre of Excellence for Cotton
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DEVUSINH JESINGBHAI CHAUHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 519

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06/02/2018

## CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR COTTON

## 519. SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Central  Institute  for  Cotton  Research  in  Nagpur  and  the  All  India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project in Coimbatore of ICAR are providing financial and  technical  support  and  conducting  basic  strategic  applied  research  through  Navsari Agriculture University and Junagarh Agricultural University and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that these two institutes cannot serve as 'Centre of excellence for cotton' and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether Gujarat, which is producing 30 per cent of the total production of cotton in the country and generating rural employment is the right place for this purpose and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether a proposal forwarded to the Union Government in 2001 for establishment of 'Centre of Excellence for Cotton' in Gujarat is still pending for approval and if so, the action taken in this regard, so far; and
- (e) the place and time by which this Centre is likely to be established in Gujarat?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) ICAR-  Central  Institute  for  Cotton  Research  (CICR),  Nagpur  and  All  India Coordinated Cotton Research Project in Coimbatore of ICAR are providing financial and technical support to Navsari Agriculture University and Junagadh Agriculture University for conducting basic, strategic & applied research on cotton. Under different programmes a  total  of  Rs.667.29  lakhs  and  316.41  lakhs  financial  assistance  have  been  given  for cotton research under XII five year plan to the Navsari  Agriculture University, Navsari and Junagadh Agriculture University, Junagadh, respectively.
- (b) ICAR-CICR, Nagpur and All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project in Coimbatore are doing excellent work to develop needful technologies for cotton in the country in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities.

(c) Gujarat is a leading state in cotton production in the country. It needs strengthening;  the  establishment  of  a  regional  research  station  will  meet  the  regional demand.

(d) & (e): ICAR has decided for establishment of Regional Research Station on cotton for strengthening the cotton cultivation in Gujarat. ICAR has initiated Regional Research Station  in  the  campus  of  ICAR-Directorate  of  Groundnut  Research  (DGR),  Junagadh, Gujarat. The provision of funds has been made in the EFC 2017-18 to 2019-20 of ICARCICR, Nagpur.

However, due to space limitation of ICAR-DGR, Junagadh, State Government of Gujarat is approached for 100 acre of suitable land in cotton growing area of the State for establishing  the  Regional  Research  Station  on  Cotton  for  the  benefit  of  farmers  of Gujarat.

Experimentation on cotton will be initiated in this crop season - 2018

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