Reaffirming the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s steadfast commitment to fostering excellence in education and agricultural innovation, Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Monday that Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, would receive a capital grant of Rs. 40 crores from the state government in the Financial Year 2025-26.
He further emphasized that the government had already significantly bolstered PAU’s efforts in advancing agricultural research and academic infrastructure with a capital grant of Rs. 20 crores in the Financial Year 2024-25. The Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema made this announcement while inaugurating the newly established ‘Agro Processing Complex’ a state-of-the-art complex equipped with machinery worth Rs. 46 lakh, and laying the foundation stone for the ‘Plant Acclimatization Facility’ and the Gene Bank, a high-end project with a total cost of Rs. 2 crores.
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasized the transformative impact of the ‘Agro Processing Complex’, which is designed to empower rural youth to become successful entrepreneurs and enhance farmers’ income through value-added processing at the village and cluster levels. He further said that the ‘Plant Acclimatization Facility’ would enable PAU to provide farmers with high-quality planting material through commercial tissue culture, strengthening Punjab’s agricultural ecosystem.
During his visit, the Finance Minister also inspected several key ongoing renovation and infrastructure development projects at PAU, funded through the earlier capital grant of Rs. 20 crores. These projects include the installation of a modern air-conditioning system at the Dr. M S Randhawa Library, with an investment of Rs. 4 crores, the renovation of seating and book display areas within the library, the construction of an additional floor at the boys' hostel at a cost of Rs. 2.56 crores, and the upgradation of sports facilities, including gymnasium renovations and the installation of advanced health equipment with a grant of Rs. 1.43 crores.
He also visited university hostels sports museum, swimming pool, guest houses and residential areas. The Finance Minister was also briefed on PAU’s ambitious roadmap to position Punjab as a leader in Digital and SMART Agriculture, leveraging advanced research infrastructure such as High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in agriculture.
Expressing his gratitude for the Punjab Government’s continued support, PAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal acknowledged the importance of the special capital grant in further strengthening the university’s physical, research, and academic infrastructure. He reiterated PAU’s commitment to serving the farming community, students, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Reiterating the Punjab Government’s unwavering support for PAU’s growth, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that sustained investment and strategic development initiatives would enable the university to execute its mission-driven projects effectively. He said that this would pave the way for groundbreaking agricultural research and innovation, ensuring lasting benefits for Punjab’s farmers, students, and the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.