New Delhi: Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj has requested the Centre Government for liberal allocation of funds under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) especially for hill states like Himachal Pradesh keeping in view the tough topographical conditions.
Education Minister, while speaking in the 65th meeting of Central Advisory Board of Education at New Delhi, urged the centre for releasing funds under RUSA for those colleges which were opened in the state by the previous government without making proper budgetary provisions.
The Minister apprised Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar that there are many tough and remote areas in the state where educational institutions were needed and in order to expand educational facilities up to remotest corners, funds were needed to manage the colleges.
Suresh Bhardwaj assured that the state government is committed to strengthen the education system in the state and would take effective steps to bring about qualitative improvement in the primary as well as higher education sectors which included providing laptop/tablets and 1 GB monthly internet data to meritorious college students, wi-fi facility in government educational institutions, implementing Vidyarthi Credit Card Yojna, modernization and computerization of all labs, providing shoes and school bags to students under Atal School Vardi Yojna. Efforts would be made to promote Sanskrit and Sanskrit University would be set up, he added.
RUSA, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in 2013 aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions. The Himachal Pradesh was one of the first state to implement the system, but accused of shifting to the new system without any preparation.
After accusation of staff crunch and protest from students and staff, RUSA transformed into a one of major poll issue and even BJP had promised to scrap the system. However, after resuming power in the state, BJP decided to weigh all pros and cons of the system and also sought suggestions from academicians and experts before taking any step. With the liberal funding from the Union Government, it’s difficult to the state like fund starve Himachal to roll back the RUSA. The new government has promised to resolve the grievances of teachers and students and it also address the shortcomings of RUSA system and also making few changes in the system to make it feasible in context the state.
