Dushyant Chautala meets Haryana Guv, seeks resumption of agri research in state varsities

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday met Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya, stressing the need to bring back students to universities for research in agriculture and animal husbandry. Chautala told the governor, who is the chancellor of all state universities, that the research in the fields of agriculture and animal husbandry has been hit due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday met Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya, stressing the need to bring back students to universities for research in agriculture and animal husbandry. Chautala told the governor, who is the chancellor of all state universities, that the research in the fields of agriculture and animal husbandry has been hit due to the coronavirus pandemic. He told reporters that due to COVID-19, the universities are closed and the research work has completely halted.

There is an immediate need to bring back PhD students and postgraduates to universities so that they could continue with their research. Chautala, whose party JJP is a coalition partner of the BJP in the state, said he had recently held talks with the Haryana Agriculture University vice-chancellor in this regard.

The deputy CM said the governor assured him to look into the issue. On the question of resumption of classes in universities and holding exams in the state, he said the Haryana government is working out a proposal, which will be sent to the Union government.

Chautala said due to the pandemic, there may be a change in syllabus and semesters might get shortened. An official statement, meanwhile, said the governor enquired about steps being taken to deal with the infection.

He said all government departments should rationalise the expenditure so that there is no shortage of funds for the fight against the pandemic. He appreciated the work done by the government to prevent the virus spread.

Chautala, who also holds the portfolio of Revenue and Disaster Management, said that the guidelines and norms issued by the union government are being strictly adhered to in the state. He said that the surge in cases of coronavirus in some districts like Gurgaon and Faridabad in the national capital region is a matter of concern.