PAU to Receive ₹40-Crore Grant by Punjab Government for Research Facilities

Ludhiana:

In a major boost to agricultural research and higher education, the Punjab government has announced a ₹40-crore capital grant for Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for the financial year 2025–26. The announcement was made by Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema during his visit to the university.

The funding follows an earlier grant of ₹20 crore in 2024–25, which was provided to strengthen PAU’s research capabilities and academic infrastructure. With the new allocation, the state government aims to further enhance research facilities and support innovation in agriculture.

During the visit, Cheema inaugurated a newly established Agro Processing Complex at PAU. The facility, equipped with machinery worth ₹46 lakh, is designed to promote value-added agriculture and encourage entrepreneurship among rural youth at the village and cluster levels.

The finance minister also laid the foundation stone for two upcoming projects — a Plant Acclimatisation Facility and a Gene Bank, with a combined cost of ₹2 crore. These facilities will supply high-quality planting material to farmers through commercial tissue culture, contributing to the growth and sustainability of Punjab’s farming sector.

Cheema reviewed multiple infrastructure development works currently underway at the university using the previously sanctioned ₹20-crore grant. These include the installation of a modern air-conditioning system at the Dr MS Randhawa Library, involving an investment of ₹4 crore, along with upgrades to reading halls and book display areas.

Other projects include the construction of an additional floor at the boys’ hostel at a cost of ₹2.56 crore, and the modernization of sports facilities, including new gym equipment and renovations worth ₹1.43 crore.

As part of the inspection, the finance minister also visited university hostels, the sports museum, swimming pool, guest houses, and residential complexes, and reviewed the overall progress of infrastructure development across the PAU campus.