Union Minister for Human Resource and Development (MHRD), Prakash Javdekar, Wednesday announced release of Rs. 200 crore to meet the pending salaries of SSA teachers in the Jammu and Kashmir.While chairing a meeting with the J&K School and Higher Education Department led by the Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, the Union Minister said that Rs. 200 crore shall be released to J&K under SSA shortly.Besides Bukhari, the J&K delegation included MoS Education, Priya Sethi, Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education, Secretary Education, Director SSA, Director RMSA, Director RUSA and other senior officers of the Department. The meeting was attended by secretary MHRD, GoI along-with other senior officers of the department.During the meeting, the MHRD agreed to release Rs. 34 crore to J&K as a recurring grant under RMSA.Javdekar also approved Rs. 50 crore for construction of girls hostels in seven degree colleges, including Bemina, Pulwama, Kupwara and Kargil in Kashmir division and Rajouri, Paloura and Thathri in Jammu division.During the meeting, the MHRD also assured of favorable consideration to two schools of architecture and two colleges of nursing proposed to be started in the State. The State delegation was asked to submit a proposal in this regard as soon as possible.The Union Ministry also agreed to cover Polytechnic diploma holders under the PMSSS for lateral entry in engineering courses.
With regard to raising of upper income limit of Rs. 6 lac and enhancing the quota under the PMSSS, the MHRD assured of a positive consideration to the proposal.The MHRD also agreed to start classes of engineering courses in the newly approved engineering colleges under RUSA at Safapora and Kathua as constituent/affiliated colleges of the university from the current academic session.The Union Ministry also agreed to examine and consider a proposal for Rs. 120 crore in respect of University of Kashmir and University of Jammu under the component “Research, Innovation and Quality Improvement” which has been submitted by the State government to MHRD.The Department of Higher Education was asked to submit a proposal for upgradation of infrastructure at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Jammu, and Islamic University for Science & Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir, under RUSA.With regard to relaxation of norms for in-service teachers for undergoing B.Ed courses, the MHRD agreed to accord a positive consideration to the proposal of the state government.Referring to the state government’s proposal seeking central assistance for gutted and unsafe school buildings in Kashmir, the Union Minister asked the state delegation to furnish a comprehensive proposal in this regard.The MHRD also asked the School Education Department to furnish a fresh proposal based on revised costs for revalidation of 30 KGBVs and 311 PS buildings which were sanctioned over the years up to 2009-10 but could not be executed due to land issues and cost escalation.