Bill for agriculture university deferred
December 28th, 2011 - 3:19 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) The introduction of a bill to establish a central agricultural university in Bundelkhand region, spread across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, was deferred amid opposition protests in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday.
This comes as another embarrassment for the government, a day after the constitutional amendment to give statutory status to Lokpal was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
As the Rajya Sabha met for the day, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar rose to introduce the Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agriculture University Bill.
Opposition members, however, objected stating that agriculture education is a state subject and the central government cannot set up the university in Bundelkhand.
“Centre has no jurisdiction to legislate in state subject,” P. Rajeeve of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said.
Agriculture, including agricultural education and research, is a state subject - according to the constitution.
Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal intervened to defend his cabinet colleague and pointed out to Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan that education was in the concurrent list.
He said a central agriculture university has been earlier created in Imphal in Manipur.
After listening to both sides, Khan decided to grant leave for introduction of the bill.
A united opposition, however, said ‘no’ for introducing the bill and demanded a division.
But following this, the house was adjourned thrice, first for half an hour at 11.15 a.m. amid the ruckus, then till noon, and then again for 10 minutes.
When the house reconvened at 12.10 p.m., Khan announced that the bill has been deferred.
The proposal for the agriculture university was approved by the union cabinet in November. It is to have two colleges each in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with headquarters in Jhansi.
- Parliament disrupted again over army chief's claim, Telangana (Lead) - Mar 26, 2012
- Ruckus in Rajya Sabha over Bundelkhand package - Aug 18, 2011
- Important bills for budget session (With Coalition hiccups come to the fore in parliament) - Apr 01, 2012
- Bundelkhand ruckus forces Rajya Sabha adjournment (Lead) - Nov 26, 2009
- Government cornered in Rajya Sabha, defers 2 bills - Mar 29, 2012
- List of bills on monsoon agenda (To go with parliament curtain raiser) - Jul 31, 2011
- Government banks on BJP's support on Lokpal bill - Dec 23, 2011
- Rajya Sabha adjourned over Bundelkhand ruckus - Nov 26, 2009
- Mayawati targeted in Lok Sabha, nuclear bill tabling deferred (Parliament Roundup) - Mar 15, 2010
- Uttar Pradesh division needs central government, parliament approval - Nov 21, 2011
- GST panel asks centre for more flexible approach - Aug 19, 2011
- Governance issues before UPA: food, energy and internal security - May 21, 2010
- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh not implementing Bundelkhand package: Minister - Jan 04, 2011
- Parliament adjourned sine die, speaker satisfied (Third Lead) - Mar 25, 2011
- Embarrassment for government in Rajya Sabha - Dec 13, 2011
Tags: agricultural education, agricultural university, agriculture education, agriculture minister, agriculture university, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, hrd minister, human resource development, imphal, kapil sibal, Lok Sabha, opposition members, opposition protests, rajya sabha, rani lakshmi bai, sharad pawar, state subject, statutory status, union cabinet