Providing quality technical education to student main focus: Sukhu
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said that providing quality technical education to the students within the State was the focus of the present state government so as to equip them with market relevant skills that enhance employability.
While reviewing the functioning of the Technical Education department here today, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the vacant buildings and said that seven buildings constructed at a cost of Rs. 126.45 crore between the year 2018 to 2023 were lying vacant. He directed the department to formulate an action plan for the optimum utilization of these buildings in public interest. He said that wastage of public funds in the name of mere construction was not acceptable.
Sh. Sukhu instructed the department to grade the Industrial Training Institutes and Polytechnic Colleges as per the enrolment of the students, overall performance and other facilities available in these institutions. The state government was committed to strengthen the Technical Education department to provide quality education to the students. He said that the government would fill up the vacant posts in the technical education institutions and also extend all possible assistance to these institutions.
He also stressed on introducing new age courses in the technical education institutions to ensure that youths were trained for emerging employment sectors. He expressed happiness over the introduction of M. Tech (EV-Tech) course in Hydro Engineering College, Bandla in Bilaspur district with an intake of 30 students.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was promoting innovation in the state and ‘State Innovation and Start-Up Policy-2025’ was underway to encourage entrepreneurship. The government was also contemplating to establish a Digital University of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Skill and Vocational Studies at Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district for which 258 bighas of land had been identified.
He also reviewed the functioning of Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam and Himachal Pradesh Takniki Shiksha Board and issued necessary directions for bringing improvements in their functioning.
Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, State Convenor of Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam Atul Karohta, Special Secretary, Technical Education Suneel Sharma, Director, Technical Education Akshay Sood and other senior officers of the Department were present in the meeting.
