ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) approved on Wednesday an allocation of Rs1,357.68 million for farm research during the fiscal year 2015-16.

The board of governors of PARC which met here under the chairmanship of Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan also approved Rs228.44m against projects to be finalised under the memorandum of understanding and Rs211.36m for the Agriculture Linkage Programme.

Mr Bosan praised Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and its scientists for their efforts for ensuring agriculture development and food security in the country.

Mr Bosan said that PARC and its staff remained under tremendous stress for the past two months because of controversial move of the Capital Development Authority to shift the NARC from its present location.

Such institutions of excellence take years to build through a continuous evolutionary process, he said while appreciating the efforts of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council management and employees who made invariable efforts to bring this issue into the notice of parliamentarians, bureaucrats, policymakers, technocrats and judiciary.

He also appreciated the Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research for having precisely analysed the gravity of the situation and giving a clear cut verdict that “CDA has no tangible or justifiable grounds for cancellation of the NARC Lease Agreement”.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2015