Due to state government’s notification nearly nine months ago, the transfer of 24 research stations from four other agricultural universities is still pending at Kamdhenu University.
The students are suffering as a result of the delay in transferring these research and extension centres to Kamdhenu University, which was founded by then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2009. Currently, there is only one livestock research station, which is located in Himmatnagar and is run by Kamdhenu University.
In the absence of its own statute, the university has been operating under the Gujarat Common Statutes for Agricultural Universities, 2011, which apply to Anand Agricultural University, Junagadh Agricultural University, Navsari Agricultural University, and Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University.
According to sources, the research centre, which opened in 2015-16 and claims to have a livestock of only 10-12 cows, has done very little research.
The university’s founding mission is to conduct “need-based research and dissemination of research findings and other technical information (lab to land) in veterinary and animal sciences, including dairy, fisheries, and allied sciences,” according to its mission statement.
The transfer will take another three months due to recent meetings between vice-chancellors of four agricultural universities and Kamdhenu University, as well as senior officials from the two departments of agriculture, animal husbandry, cow breeding, and fisheries.
Navsari Agricultural University Vice Chancellor Z P Patel said, “It was decided in the meeting for which we have received the minutes to transfer research stations from April 1, 2022.”
The university must transfer two research stations to Kamdhenu University: the Livestock Research Station Navsari and the Polyclinic at Waghai Dangs. The 24 research stations, as well as the Center of Excellence in Aquaculture, Ukai, and all instructional and animal fodder farms attached to veterinary colleges, will be transferred from Anand Agricultural University (10), Junagadh Agricultural University (8), Navsari Agricultural University (2), and Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (2).
According to Dr N H Kelawala, Vice Chancellor of Kamdhenu University, “there has been a positive development on this issue, and the state government has assured it will be addressed soon.”
On April 1, 2021, the long-pending demand for the transfer of 11 colleges affiliated with the four agricultural universities was approved, ten years after it was founded and over seven years after it began operations in 2014.
“A decision was made in accordance with the rules. While the education institutions were transferred on April 1, 2021, the 24 research stations will be transferred on April 1, 2022, according to Dr R M Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor of Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University.