Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that it was for the first time that about 30 new schemes have been announced in the state budget proposed for the year 2018-19. He was speaking on the occasion of the prize distribution function of Maharaja Lakshman Sen Memorial Degree College, Sundernagar in Mandi district today.He said that the Cluster University of Mandi district would be setup by spending an amount of Rs. 55 crore. Out of this Rs.11 crore each would be spent at Sundernagar, Drang and Basa under Cluster University and the remaining amount would be spent at Mandi campus. He said that this centre at Sundernagar would have school of applied sciences, Management and Pharmacy.The Chief Minister said that 10 Adarsh Vidhya Kendras would be opened in different parts of the State for providing quality education to the students. The State Government has also proposed a new scheme for coaching to the meritorious student for competitive exams. He said that the students passing out from their educational institutions would provide their old book to other needy students under the ‘Pustak Daan Yojana’.He said that the college life was very inspiring and motivating as this is the best period in every one's life. He said that he get nostalgic when he finds himself among the youth. It was an honour to be Chief Minister of the State. The cap politics of the State has become a matter of past, he quipped and added that now the people of the State has a Chief Minister from the Centre of the State, thereby putting to end the issue of Chief Minister form upper Himachal and Lower Himachal.
Chief Minister said that Mandi district was the second largest district of the State and special emphasis would be laid on the development of the district. He thanked the people of Mandi for giving thumping majority to the BJP. He said that it was for the first time that BJP got such a support in the district. He said that the State Government has completed only two and a half months in the office, but still lot has been done. He said that a lot has to be done in the field of education. He said that stress should be laid on quality education, particularly in government school. He said that instead of focusing on quality the previous government announced opening of 16 degree colleges in the State with a provision of Rs 1 lakh each for every announced colleges.He said that all this was done to gain political mileage, which has make mockery of the whole system. He said that the present State Government was not against opening of these institutions, but there should be some rational thinking over the same. He said that there were many schools which have very strange imbalance in teacher-student ratio. He said that since the students were the future of a nation, stress should be laid in best infrastructure and staff.The State Government would provide all possible help to the Government aided colleges in the State as they were supplementing the endeavour of the Government to provide good education to the students.Shri Jai Ram Thakur said that the students of this Degree College has brought laurels to the State, but still lot more has to be done in this era of cut throat competition. He congratulated the students of the college on the occasion.He said that all the demands of the college would be considered sympathetically by the State Government. He said that Rs. 50 lakh would be provided for construction of sports complex in the college. He said that gratuity and leave encashment benefits for the staff of the college would be given to the teachers and staff of the college as per the Saint Beades College, Shimla.The members of HP Aided College Teacher association presented a cheque of Rs. 1.51 lakh towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of the additional Block of Cluster University under the RUSA.
Education Minister Shri Suresh Bhardwaj said that this would be the first cluster University which was as per UGC norms and HRD Ministry. He said that this Cluster University was a gift from the Chief Minister of the State to the people of Mandi district which would provide quality higher education facilities to the students of the region. He said that the State was grateful to Prime Minister Shri Narinder Modi for being considerate to the developmental needs of the people of the State. He also congratulated the prize winning students on the occasion.Shri Bhardwaj said that private college and other educational institutions were playing a major role in providing quality education to the students of the State. He said that the State Government would provide all possible assistance to these private institutions. A provision of about Rs 7273 crore has been made to the education sector for the next financial year.MP Shri Ram Swaroop thanked the students of the college for according rousing reception to CM. He said that this would be the first cluster University of the State. He said that now the students of the region would not have to go the Shimla for university education. He also appreciated the efforts of local MLA for envisaging keep interest in development of the area.MLA Sundernagar Shri Rakesh Jamwal while addressing the occasion said that Maharaja Lakshman Sain Memorial Degree College has emerged as an education hub of the region. He said that the people of the district were honoured to have the Chief Minister from the district.
He hoped that the CM would provide all possible help to this degree college. He said that over 2000 girls were getting quality education in this college apart for about 1500 boys, thus urged the CM to provide liberal assistance to this college.Dr P.K Jamwal Principal of the College while welcoming the CM read out the annual college report on the occasion. He said that the students of the college are not only excelling in education but also in other co-curricular activities. He said that college was established in 1976 and since then it has made a special place in the field of education. He said that 105 students of the college have secured top ten positions in the HPU.Ms. Radhika Puri President of CSCA of the college welcomed the CM on the occasion of the annual prize distribution function.A colourful cultural programme was also presented on this occasion.Present on the occasion were Education Minister Shri Suresh Bhardwaj, Forest Minister Shri Govind Singh, MP Shri Ram Sawroop Sharma, MLA Shri Vinod Kumar, Col. Inder Singh, Shri Hiralal, Shri Inder Gandhi, Shri Rakesh Jamwal, Shri Jawahar Singh Thakur, Former Minister Thakur Roop Singh, OSD Shri Shishu Dharma, DC Mandi, SP, Director Higher Education Dr. Amar Dev.