Cabinet decides to toe Centre's line on RUSA
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 23 2013:
Along with deciding to initiate suitable measures to implement Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in the State as directed by the Central Government recently a Cabinet meeting held today resolved to lease out Hotel Imphal and Sendra Tourist Home to private parties.
Speaking to newspersons after the Cabinet meeting presided over by the Chief Minister, Government spokesperson and Education Minister M Okendro conveyed that the RUSA project would be highly beneficial for the student community of Manipur.
Apart from effectively addressing problem of teaching staff shortage in the higher education sector, RUSA has provisions for enhanced financial assistance to aided colleges as well as upgrading premier colleges to State university status, said the Minister adding that under the said scheme there is strong possibility of DM college becoming a State university in the near future.
Informing that during the 2008-09 academic session about 12,000 students were admitted in different colleges of Manipur, Okendro said the number of students' enrolment crossed the 42,000 mark in the current session.
Conceding that inspite of the healthy enrolment of students, the sudden increase triggered problem of teaching staff shortage, the Minister exuded confidence of solving the problem as RUSA scheme also includes provisions for recruitment of college teachers.
The other decision taken by the Cabinet related to entrusting Hotel Imphal and Sendra Tourist Home to private parties ahead of the Manipur Sangai Festival and International Polo Tournament.
While the initial assignment would be on trial basis, the Cabinet also decided to eventually lease out both the State Government undertakings to private parties for which open tender would be floated in six month's time.
Open tender process would also be the norm for appointing State's Chief Information Commissioner with the Cabinet approving the guideline on the appointment process, informed the Education Minister who also confided that the Chief Minister departing for new Delhi today is to discuss about implementation of Food Security Act in the State as well as meet Central government officials for release of fund for various Central sponsored projects.
To another query from newspersons, Minister Okendro said students' representatives involved in the ongoing economic blockade agitation along the Imphal-Jiribam highway section have been invited for talks.
Formal talks with delegates of the four agitating student bodies would begin on october 25, he added.