Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 3: Union Minister for Human Resource and Development (MHRD) Prakash Javdekar today announced release of Rs 200 crore to meet out the pending salaries of SSA teachers in Jammu and Kashmir.
After chairing a comprehensive meeting with J&K School and Higher Education Department led by the Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Javdekar said that Rs 200 crore will 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 course of meeting MHRD agreed to the release of Rs 34 crore to J&K in a shortest possible time as a recurring grant under RMSA.
Javdekar also approved Rs 50 crore for construction of girls’ hostel in seven degree colleges including Bemina, Pulwama Kupwara and Kargil in Kashmir division and Rajouri Paloura and Thathri in Jammu division.
The Union Minister said the site inspection by central team will be conducted for selection of off-site campus of IIM Jammu at Srinagar very soon.
MHRD assured examination and a favourible consideration for two schools of architecture and two colleges of nursing to be started very soon one each at Srinagar and Jammu. The State delegation was asked for submission of proposal in this regard at an earliest.
The Union Ministry also agreed to cover Polytechnic diploma holders under PMSSS for lateral entry in engineering courses. With regard to raising of upper income limit of Rs 6 lakh under PMSSS and enhancing the quota under PMSSS, the MHRD assured a positive consideration to the proposal.
MHRD also agreed to start classes of engineering courses in newly approved engineering colleges under RUSA at Safapora and Kathua as constituent/affiliated colleges of the university from this academic session.
The Union Ministry also agreed to examine and consider a proposal for Rs 120 crore in respect of University of Kashmir & 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 for submission of proposal for upgradation of infrastructure in Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Jammu and Islamic University for Science & Technology, Awantipora, 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.
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 upto 2009-10 but could not be executed due to land issues and cost escalation.
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