State Government is strengthening the vocational education network in the State with a view to provide quality job oriented education to the youth at affordable costs within the State in collaboration with private participation and World Bank would be funding Rs. 12 crore for engineering equipment etc. of Jawahar Lal Government Engineering College, Sundernagar. This was stated by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, while addressing a mammoth public meeting at Bechani Dhar (Sundernagar) after he dedicated newly constructed impressing administrative and First academic block of Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Engineering College, to the students of the college, part of the Rs. 107.42 crore complex project, constructed at a cost of Rs. 38 crore and laid foundation stone of Second Phase of the college estimated to cost Rs. 16.11 crore today.
Chief minister said that polytechnic colleges were being opened in the districts at Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, Bilaspur, Sirmour besides opening Hydro Engineering College at Bilaspur and IIIT in the state with a view to upgrade the vocational educational infrastructure in the State. He said that State was poised to emerge education hub of the country. He said that private universities were also providing quality education to the youth of the State. He said that besides opening six new, equal numbers were also being opened. He said that about 500 posts of teaching and non-teaching faculty were being created. He said that 32 ITIs were also being opened in private sector.
Chief Minister said that the State had set up Technical University at Hamirpur to monitor the vocational educational curriculum in public and private sector. He said that now Jawahar Lal Government Engineering College would be imparting degree courses in four disciplines with addition of Civil and Electronics. He said that Atal Behari Vajpayee Government College of Engineering and Allied Sciences was being set up. He said that IIT had also started classes at Kamand for which State government had provided required land and other infrastructural facilities. He said that HP happened to be the leader in setting up of National Institute of Fashion Technology at Chheb village in Kangra where students from all over the country were seeking admission. He said that seven engineering and 18 polytechnic colleges had also been permitted in private sector. He said that besides Hotel Management Institute at Hamirpur, Food Craft Institute was also being set up at Dharamshala in the near future.
Dhumal said that the State had accorded high priority to provision of vocational education to help youth upgrade their skills to find income generating avenues through employment and self employment. He said that large number of youth had got employment in public and private sector and none of the ITI qualified youth had remained unemployed in the State. He said that vocational education was the need of the hour and youth was opting vocational education compared to academic education. He said that the State had roped in industrialists in the Local Management Committee in it ITI to frame training and trade syllabus as per the demand in the industry.
Chief Minister said that previous government was habitual of making announcements without any budgetary provisions and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, and Jawahar Lal Government Engineering College, Sundernagar, were glaring examples of the same. He said that it was only when BJP came to power that adequate budgetary provisions were made to start construction work on war footing. He congratulated PWD and contractor for constructing the beautiful college building in a record time. He said that a new bus would be provided to the college to transport students to and fro from the college campus. CM was presented a draft of Rs. 3.20 lakh by Shri S.K.Dash, Principal Secretary Technical Education and Vijay Chandan, Director Technical Education and Vocational Education as contribution towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Roop Singh Thakur, local MLA, welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for providing funds enabling dedication of the impressive first phase of Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Engineering College building to the students. He lauded the contribution of the authorities in getting the project completed in record time of 24 months. He also apprised CM of various local problems. He thanked CM for upgradation of various educational institutions in his home segment. He detailed ongoing development activities in the area. Vanita Arya, Acting Principal of the College, proposed vote of thanks.
Narinder Bragta, Horticulture and Technical Education Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Mahender Singh Thakur, Transport and Urban Development Minister, Dile Ram, MLA and Chairman, State Finance Commission, Col. Inder Singh and Hira Lal, MLAs, Khira Mani, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Mohan Joshi, Chairman, MILKFED, Devesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, N.L. Sharma, Engineer-in-Chief, HPPWD, Vijay Chandan, Director of Technical and Vocational Education, senior officers of different departments and party mermbers were present on the occasion.
