RAU conversion: BJP blames state for delay

Patna: State BJP chief Mangal Pandey said on Saturday the conversion of Rajendra Agriculture University (RAU)-Pusa (Samastipur) into a central university would be complete only after the process of the transfer of RAU assets to rechristened Rajendra Central Agriculture University (RCAU) is formalised.
Pandey said till the formalisation of the transfer of RAU assets, the Bihar government, by rule, would have to bear the cost of running the university.
Pandey was reacting to the statement of state agriculture minister Ram Vichar Rai that the state government was made to unnecessarily pay the cost of running RAU despite its conversion into a central university in January last year. He also noted with concern that deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had endorsed the stand of Rai, indicating he was not informed about the process of conversion of RAU into RCAU. Pandey said the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had shown exceptional readiness in initiating the process for the conversion of RAU into RCAU within 100 days after coming to power in May 2014, as the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at Patna on January 25 last year in the presence of Union minister for agriculture Radha Mohan Singh. Those present included the then CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and state agriculture minister Narendra Singh.
Pandey said the process regarding the handover-takeover of the assets of RAU to RCAU would now be expedited as an assets takeover committee that also comprises state agriculture officials has been constituted.
The state government had delayed announcing its two nominees - agriculture director and department's special secretary - to the assets takeover committee, Pandey said, adding the state government nominated its two members on July 28 this year, following which the committee has now started functioning.
Soon after the Union government put its stamp on the renaming of RAU to RCAU, the Union agriculture ministry had nominated the working VC, registrar and controller of RCAU, Pandey said.