New Delhi, May 17 (IANS): The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the setting up of an agriculture research institute in Assam, to help spur growth in north eastern states. Briefing media on the Cabinet decisions, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the government had plans to bring a green revolution in the north-east region and the new Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Assam would "play a crucial role in bringing a second green revolution" in the country. "Development of the north-eastern states has been a priority for the Modi government and the new institute will play a crucial role in driving growth in the region," Goyal said. The institute would be set up at a cost of Rs 155 crore, Goyal said. The IARI-Assam will be the third such institute after those in New Delhi and Ranchi. It will have student capacity of 67 for MSc and 106 for PhD in agricultural sciences programmes. "By 2020-21, the institute will produce about 90 PhD students every year. The institute will drive agricultural progress in Assam and other northeastern states. About 85 per cent of the people in Assam are dependent on agriculture," Goyal said.
