Monday, 19 February 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Ministry of Education has approved a sum of Rs 120 crore for Uttarakhand under the Pradhan Mantri-Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA). Out of this amount, Rs 100 crore has been allocated to Kumaon University under Multi Disciplinary Education and Research University (MERU) and Rs 20 crore has been allocated to Doon University under the university promotion component. According to officials, the funds allocated under PM-USHA will be utilised in both the universities for modernisation of the basic facilities, extension of research works and conducting soft skills programmes along with the establishment of various academic centres.
In a statement issued to the media, the State’s Higher Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat stated that in order to transform higher education in Uttarakhand, the State government had earlier entered into an agreement with the Union government for execution of five components under PM-USHA. These aspects include development and modernisation of basic facilities in the government universities and colleges, facilitation and extension of research activities, education based on skill development, utilisation of technology, monitoring the output of e-learning and virtual learning, among other aspects. The proposals sent by the State government to the Centre as per the agreement signed earlier have now started receiving approval. In the first phase, Kumaon University, Nainital is one of the 26 universities selected across the nation under MERU. This university has received Rs 100 crore under this scheme. The fund will be used for establishing various research and academic centres in the university. These will include centre for sustainable urban development, centre for professional development and entrepreneurship, centre for non conventional energy studies, centre for disaster management, centre for advanced computing, centre of excellence in Himalayan medicinal plants and wellness lifestyle, faculty of law and education, faculty of biomedical sciences and nano technology along with centralised instrumentation facilities.
Apart from this, the Doon University has received a sum of Rs 20 crore under the university promotion component. This fund will be used in the university for building a composite science laboratory and facilitating innovation and modernisation. Rawat stated that this development will help in enhancing modern and quality education in both these universities while also helping in extension of job oriented and technology related education. He thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the fund allocations.
