US-based NRIs pledge $ 10m to set up veterinary university in Punjab

A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27
A group of US-based NRIs led by Dr Rachhpal Singh Bajwa, a leading veterinarian of Illinois, has offered to contribute between $ 1 million and $ 10 million for the establishment of a veterinary university in Punjab which can help optimise the usage of abundant animal resources of the state.

“I have already enlisted the support of nearly 200 NRIs for the project,” says Dr Bajwa, in an interaction with TNS here today. “These NRIs have formed themselves into a group called the ‘Friends of Punjab’.

They are willing to be associated with the project as non-executive trustees of the proposed university.

I have already handed over a list of these NRIs to, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, Punjab Minister for Animal Husbandry, for onward transmission to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.”

Dr Bajwa, says that most of the NRIs interested in the project originally hail from rural Punjab.

They love the land of their birth and feel that they ought to pay back their debt to Punjab in some way. They want to do everything possible to improve the economic status of farmers in Punjab.

The project is of great promise in the changing socio-economic trends in Punjab where agricultural land holdings are decreasing with each passing day. Agricultural production has already reached a plateau.

The scarcity of water resources in Punjab, electricity shortages and cost of labour will further strain the agricultural production.

Under the circumstances, development of animal husbandry sector alone comprising livestock, dairy products, fishery, sheep, goat, poultry and meat can offer an attractive alternative.

In this connection, he notes that the Punjab Government has already announced its decision to set up a veterinary university at the campus of Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana. As a matter of fact, the College of Veterinary Sciences already functioning at the PAU campus can be easily upgraded and turned into a university.

Such a move will save a lot of time and money on setting up a new infrastructure.

Besides, contributing money to the proposed university, NRIs will also be willing to offer their technical expertise in the areas of education and research at no cost to the government.

The US is also faced with the prospect of a shortage of trained veterinary professionals to serve in the rural areas and inner cities.

The new university can admit NRIs as well as students of US origin who will pay their tuition fee in US dollars.

The cost of veterinary education in US is very high. The training in Punjab can save these students thousands of dollars while generating a lot of funds for the university here.

Dr Bajwa, who is an old alumnus of PAU, Ludhiana, said that he had persuaded the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ludhiana to start NRIs’ admission programme in the year 1993. “I am satisfied with the progress of this programme.

This year, 20 students have been admitted to the course. They are a source of good income for the college.

Just consider how much funds can be generated if it starts admitting 125 students per year in this programme, each paying $ 40, 000 as a total fee for the entire course. Many former students of PAU have already found employment in the US and Canada.

This will be a win-win situation for students as well as Punjab,” he added.