File Photo: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh
Brushing aside criticism from the Opposition, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today justified opening colleges with less students and more teachers, saying that the strength grows consistently once the college starts functioning.
The CM today presided over the first alumni meet of Pt Gobind Ballabh Pant Memorial Government Degree College at his home town of Rampur, 135 km from Shimla.
Mr Singh said that there were only 32 students and staff of 35 initially when the college was opened and he also faced criticism from the Opposition, but today the college has a strength of 3,500 and is one of the reputed institute with adequate infrastructure.
"The present government has opened 22 degree colleges during past 30 months and made a provision of Rs 5 crore for each college towards commitment of the government to make higher education accessible to all, especially for girls and it was matter of great satisfaction that the strength of girls was more than boys in colleges," he said, adding that adequate infrastructure and staff was being provided to colleges.
Chief Minister said the government was also stressing on providing skill development to the youths and has launched Rs 500 crore skill development scheme, providing skill development allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to unemployed youths and Rs 1,500 per month for persons with disabilities had proved a boon for local youths, especially in rural areas.
He said that the youths, having passed middle school examination and aged between 16 years to 36 years, were eligible to avail benefit under this scheme.
Chief minister also laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 60 crore, including Rs 10.60 crore science and commerce block of government college Rampur, Rs 20 crore water supply augmentation scheme, Rs 7.70 crore government Senior Secondary School building and Rs 6.20 crore sports hostel at Duttnagar.