Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) held a special programme on Wednesday to distribute grants for development of infrastructure and quality education among the government colleges affiliated to it under Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) or National Higher Education Mission. Ten government colleges were conferred grants amounting to Rs 25 lakhs on Wednesday, while GNDU had received a grant of Rs 2.5 crore.
Surjit Singh Rakhra, Minister for Higher Education, presided over the function and distributed cheques among the principals of these colleges. Addressing the gathering, Rakhra said that Punjab is among the few states which had adopted RUSA scheme. "Under this grants with 65:35 ratio would be released to government colleges and universities," he said. He maintained that 38 government colleges and universities have been designated to receive the grants under this scheme.
He said that this grant was meant for imparting better quality higher education and providing state-of-the-art infrastructure to cope up with the challenges of the international market. He stressed the need to provide vocational training to the youth stating that this would not only curb the drug abuse, but would also ensure employment for them.
Dr. Roshan Sunkaria, Principal Secretary, Higher Education, said that said that this is a holistic scheme of development for higher education in India, which was initiated in 2013 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. He said that the centrally sponsored scheme aims at providing strategic funding to higher educational institutions throughout the country.
Dr. Roshan Sunkaria, Principal Secretary, Higher Education, said that said that this is a holistic scheme of development for higher education in India, which was initiated in 2013 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. He said that the centrally sponsored scheme aims at providing strategic funding to higher educational institutions throughout the country.
"Funding is provided by the central ministry through the state governments and Union Territories (UT), which in coordination with the central Project Appraisal Board will monitor the academic, administrative and financial advancements taken under the scheme. A total of 316 state public universities and 13,024 colleges will be covered under it," he added. GNDU Vice-Chancellor A S Brar, Dr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar, Dr. G.S. Brar, Additional Director, RUSA, were also present on this occasion.