Parliament Question: Progress of establishment of PGIHRE in Punjab

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 310 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 PROGRESS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PGIHRE IN PUNJAB *310. SHRI SATNAM SINGH SANDHU: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) the present status of land acquisition for Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education (PGIHRE) in Punjab; (b) whether the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and site selection process have been completed and approved; and (c) the timeline by which the project would be completed? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN) (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House. ****** 1STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (C) IN RESPECT OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 310 FOR REPLY ON 20.03.2026 REGARDING “PROGRESS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PGIHRE IN PUNJAB”. (a): As follow up of the Budget Speech of Late Shri Arun Jaitly ji, the then Finance Minister, in the Parliament during 2015-16 (Point no. 80), Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) / Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has requested the Government of Punjab to provide a suitable land in Amritsar for the establishment of the Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education (PGIHRE). Thereafter, officials of ICAR had held discussions with the Government of Punjab and did field surveys to identify a suitable site in Amritsar. However, the Government of Punjab has not taken any meaningful initiative during the last ten years (2015-25) to provide land suitable for the establishment of the Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education (PGIHRE) in Amritsar. In this regard, a discussion was also held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi between Special Secretary (Agriculture), Government of Punjab and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Government of India, on 7 July, 2024. During the discussion, it was advised that the Government of Punjab should take appropriate action on this matter at its own. Subsequently, there has been no response to our latest letter written to the Deputy Director Horticulture, Govt. of Punjab Dated 29 October 2025 on this subject (Annexure). Also, there is no financial provision for this project in the current EFC (2026-31) of ICAR. (b): Social Impact Assessment (SIA) was not taken up because of no physical progress regarding the establishment of PGIHRE. (c): Not applicable as per the reply furnished in (a) and (b) above. ****** 2ANNEXURE [PART (A) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED Q. NO. 310 DATED 20.03.2026] 3