From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 11: The Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar would be requested to direct the Veterinary Council of India’s (VCI) to grant recognition to Veterinary Colleges of Hassan and Shimoga, Animal Husbandry and Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra informed the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

In a reply to calling attention notice of leader of the Opposition H D Kumaraswamy, the minister said he would go to the national capital on Tuesday and take up the issue with Pawar.

All efforts would be made to get VCI recognition to two colleges to ensure admission of students in this academic year, he said.

A three-member inspection team of VCI led by S C Misra had visited both colleges and inspected facilities at the Government colleges in February last, the minister said.

Jayachandra said the team inspected facilities such as college building, veterinary hospital, laboratory and hostel facilities provided at the college at Hassan and Shimgoa.

The State Government had spent more than Rs 150 crore to provide facilities and construct buildings of two colleges.

''The entire expenditure would go waste if the VCI refused to grant permission for admission of students,” he said.

The government had decided to set up these colleges in 2007 to address the issue of shortage of veterinary surgeons in the State.

The VCI has withheld recognition to both the colleges for the last five years for lack of adequate infrastructure, he said.

Consequently, the degree certificates issued by the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Science University (KVAFSU), Bidar, were invalid.

The VCI had insisted that the colleges should have buildings, faculty members, hospital and livestock and the government has complied with the requirements, he explained.