E-Paper
Delegation of Punjab rural colleges meets Pargat, seek focus on higher education
A delegation of state rural colleges met Punjab education minister Pargat Singh in Chandigarh on Tuesday and demanded the upliftment of the institutions
A delegation of state rural colleges met Punjab education minister Pargat Singh in Chandigarh on Tuesday and demanded the upliftment of the institutions.
A delegation comprising nine members, including Kuldeep Batta, Surinder Mohan and Gurpreet Singh from GN College, Narangwal; Jagwant Singh, secretary, PFUCTO; Avtar Singh, principal, GTB National College, Dakha; Rajinder Singh, SBAS College, Sandaur; Amrinder Singh and Manpreet Singh from Akal Degree College, Mastuana, and Harinderjit Singh Kler, Malwa College, Samrala Bondli.
Only four of them were permitted to meet Pargat Singh. The delegation handed over a proposed roadmap of the development of higher education in rural areas in the state.
Kuldeep Batta said that the economic conditions in Punjab have deteriorated over the years and forced people to move out not only from rural to urban areas but even outside the country.
He added that rural youth hardly find avenues for future growth or education in their vicinity and due to meagre resources, most of them give up studies after matric. As a result, the gross enrolment ratio remains low.
The delegation further spoke about the pending promises of the government to release HRA to the rural teaching and non-teaching staff in the state.
“Our contemporaries working in urban areas are getting HRA. But those working in rural areas are being denied this allowance despite court rulings in their favour. The minister had promised us that he’ll expedite his efforts to get our HRA released soon. He said that he would hold a meeting with the education secretary pertaining to our demands and make the required announcements soon,” told Batta.
The delegation also requested the minister to fund the books of the rural students from economically weaker sections.
