Reiterating the commitment of the SAD-BJP alliance government to impart quality Higher education to the students in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today sanctioned Rs 50 crore for the upgradation of infra structure and other facilities in the Government Colleges across the state.
Presiding over a meeting of the Principals of the Government Colleges here at Punjab Bhawan, the Chief Minister said that the state government was duty bound to revitalize the higher education in Punjab to enable the students to meet the future challenges by competing well across the globe. He said that the state government had already conducted a survey in the Government colleges to acquaint itself about the immediate needs of these colleges adding that according to this survey the estimates of the work have been prepared by the Higher Education Department. Accordingly, Mr. Badal said that in the first phase Rs 50 crore would be issued by the state government for the upgradation of the infra structure in the government colleges so as to facilitate the students in getting quality education.
Exhorting the college Principals to play a pro-active role in shaping the destiny of the students by imparting them quality education, the Chief Minister said that the faculty of the colleges should concentrate on the overall development of the students besides providing them with the value based education to enable them to become ideal citizens of society. He also laid thrust on the need of constituting the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) at the college level which should focus on the development of these ‘temples of learning’ besides ensuring the judicious use of the funds. Expressing concern over the inadequate educational facilities in the border and Kandi regions, Mr. Badal said that the state government was making all out efforts to provide quality education to the students of this far flung areas of the state.
The Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that around 1500 posts of the teaching and the non-teaching staff in the government colleges was lying vacant which was adversely effecting the education in these institutions. He asked the officers of the Education department to explore all feasibilities for filling these already sanctioned posts at the earliest on the regular basis, for the efficient running of these colleges. Mr. Badal also asked the department to constitute a committee of Principals which should interact with the government on the various issues pertaining to the state of Higher Education in Punjab so that its quick disposal could be ensured.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Education Minister Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Principal Secretary Higher Education Mrs. Ravneet Kaur, Principal Secretary Finance Mr. Jaspal Singh, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and Special Secretary Education Mr. Chander Gaind.