Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar on Friday laid the foundation stones of 21 Government colleges’ buildings in 13 districts through use of technology by video-conferencing here.
These buildings will cost about Rs 276 crore and would be disabled-friendly. This is for the first time in the State that the foundation stones of such a large number of colleges have been laid at the same time from the single location using IT tools.
The Chief Minister, who laid the foundation stones in a synchronised ceremony conducted through video conferencing in the presence of Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, said that the opening of these colleges would benefit students from all sections of society, including girls and marginalised sections of society and would prove to be a milestone in higher education.
He said that the Haryana Government is preparing a roadmap for all areas of education, such as elementary and primary school education and medical education.
With a view to make the youth employable after they complete their education, the Government is imparting skill training under the Haryana Skill Development Mission and is also establishing a skill development university in district Palwal. Programmes such as Happening Haryana Global Investors’ Summit-2016 and Haryana Pravasi Divas-2017 have been organised to generate more employment opportunities, said he.
The Chief Minister said, “Apart from this, the cultural heritage of the State is being promoted through programmes such as National Youth Festival organised in Rohtak from January 12 to 16. Several other programmes are also being organised to encourage the youth to participate in different activities, he added.
Manohar lal said that the Government had also undertaken several initiatives to promote sports in the State, including offering cash awards to outstanding sportspersons on national and international levels. The amount of Rs 6 crore cash prize awarded to gold medal winners in the Olympics is the highest such prize in the world. Apart from this, wrestling championship with highest-ever cash prize of Rs 1 crore has been organised and kabaddi championship is currently underway.
A ‘Khel Mahakumbh’ would also be organised in October 2017 as part of the Swarna Jayanti Year celebrations of Haryana, said he.
lauding the Higher Education Department for its e-governance initiatives, he said that the centralised and synchronised foundation stone laying ceremony conducted through video conferencing had led to conservation of resources and would serve as an example to all Departments.
On the occasion, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, said that in the last 50 years, no other Government had been able to lay the foundation stones of such a large number of colleges together.
He said that the opening of a large number of Government colleges for women would give a boost to the ambitious ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ programme.
These colleges are to be constructed at Manesar in Gurugram, Jundla, Taraori and Assandh in Karnal, Kurukshetra, Mahendragarh, Sirsa, Faridabad, Yamunanagar, Palwal, Panchkula, Fatehabad and Nuh.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stones of additional buildings, classrooms and multipurpose hall in government colleges at Jatauli Haily Mandi in district Gurugram, Kalanwali in district Rewari and Chhachhrauli in district Yamunanagar. These buildings would be constructed at a cost of Rs 12 crore to Rs 19 crore each.
Notably, the State Government has planned to open a new Government and Government aided college within a radius of every 20 kilometers in the State.