Raipur, March 18, 2010
A number of engineering colleges have been opened in the state in the recent years, but a majority of them lack basic infrastructure like teaching faculties, furniture, laboratories, workshop, etc. Still the government allows such colleges to opening spite of knowing that these institutions cannot produce quality engineers. Leader of the Opposition Ravindra Choubey was expressing his concern over current education system in the state during discussion over budgetary demands on Water Resources, Higher Education, Science & Technology and Technical Education & Manpower Planning departments in Vidhan Sabha on Thursday.
Choubey said the government should seriously take initiatives to improve quality of higher education in the state. He said the IT park should be developed in the state like Hyderabad and Pune.
Choubey felt that job-oriented courses should be inducted in the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI). He pointed out that the ITIs in the state too lack basic infrastructure including teaching staff.
“In the backdrop of rapid industrialisation, the government should ensure that local people must preferably get job in industrial units,” he said.
Choubey also took a swipe at the government for not inviting other companies from different sectors except steel industry. “Ample job opportunities can be created in the state for yongesters if the government will invite IT companies like Infosys,” he said.
On water distribution policy, Choubey alleged that all the anicuts in the budget would benefit only industries, not the common mass. “It is high time that the people should know that at what rate water is being given to the industries,” he said.
Choubey was interrupted by BJP MLA Badridhar Diwan who said that when the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was established, it had promised to provide jobs to about 660 farmers for acquiring their lands and on that basis the government provided it water but no affected farmer got employment. Congress MLA Dharmjeet Singh said the water charges of NTPC should be hiked to six times.
Choubey further pointed out in spite of ban, tube wells were being dug in various places including Chief Minister’s home town Kawardha and his constituency Rajnandgaon. BJP MLA Devji Bhai Patel also criticised the government for adopting double standards and allowing industries to dig ten inch tube wells while banning for others.
Choubey alleged that corruption prevailed in tube well digging process and the money flows from bottom to top in the system.
Government fixes fee for engineering colleges
Raipur, March 18, 2010
To prevent private engineering colleges to take excessive fee amount from the students, the state government has fixed new fee structure for engineering colleges through its Fee Regulatory Commission (FRC). Now, the fee per semester will range from Rs 21,150 (minimum) to Rs 24,105 (maximum) in engineering colleges. The information was provided by Water Resources, Higher Education, Science & Technology and Technical Education & Manpower Planning Minister Hemchand Yadav while he was replying during the discussion over budgetary demands on his departments in Vidhan Sabha on Thursday.
Yadav informed that the decision on new fee structure was taken just a week before. He said the government was aware about the inordinate fee being charged by the private engineering colleges and to check such practices the FRC was constituted in 2008.
He further informed the House that the government would also commence new pension scheme for the retired people from government universities and colleges. “The government aims to open polytechnic institutes in all the 18 districts and we have made a provision in the budget 2010-11 to open six new polytechnic colleges,” he said.
Regarding employment opportunities, Yadav said about 1400 unemployed got job through government’s employment exchanges.
Yadav further informed that the results of PSC exams conducted for assistant professors would be declared in April 2010 while the appointment process would be completed by June or July 2010.
On water distribution policy, he informed that the master plan for rivers had already been prepared on December 31, 2009 and accordingly the water would be distributed. He said the plan would be unique in the country as it encompasses five rivers of the state. He also clarified that the department prioritised to distribute water first to common mass for drinking purpose then for irrigation followed by industries.
On Opposition’s doubts over supply of Gangarel dam’s water to Tandula dam, Yadav said that it would only be done when there would be excess water in Gangarel in rainy season owing to flood. “Usually, that excess water flows to Orissa and thereby to the sea and we want this water to collect in Tandula,” he said. Yadav informed that Tandula was a giant dam and it had not been filled for the past 15-20 years.
‘Alternative road can solve problems in Keshkal valley’
Raipur, March 18, 2010
The PWD is fully aware about the traffic problems of at Keshkal valley and initiates repairing as well as other works to smoothen the traffic in the region. However, the valley’s problem will only be solved when the road would be widened and an alternative road would be constructed. PWD Minister Brijmohan Agrawal was speaking on the valley’s traffic problems while he was replying to a question of BJP MLA Santosh Bafna during call attention hour in the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday.
Bafna said the condition of NH 43 that link Raipur and Jagdalpur was pathetic at Keshkal valley and owing to negligent attitude of the department’s officials, the area had not only become accident prone but frequent traffic jams had become order of the day.
“In 2008, 15 people died and 4 were injured in a road accident case that occurred in Keshkal valley and the case was registered under section 304. In another mishap in the location, 47 people were injured and the case was registered under section 279, 337, 338. The police have also registered 38 cases of traffic jams in the valley in 2008,” he said.
“In 2009, 25 people died and 17 were injured in road mishap in the region and the case was registered under section 279, 337, 338. Similarly, 61 people were injured in another mishap in the area besides 56 traffic jam cases in 2009,” he said.
The accident and traffic jam cases in the valley are increasing day-by-day and in some cases, the motorists and passengers stuck for more than 5-6 hours in jams during night hours, he said.
In his reply, Agrawal informed the House that the department was seriously considering the options of upgrading the valley road apart from constructing a new road in the area. “In this regard, after National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) directives, the department had invited tenders to conduct survey of the road in region and had forwarded the tenders to the Union government for approval on September 16, 2009, but we have not received any information from Centre till date,” he said.
Presently, the NHAI has given approval to upgrade about 222 km road from Dhamtari to Jagdalpur under Public Private Participation (PPP) scheme and the department has commenced the survey of the road, he informed.
Agrawal informed that besides him and his department’s officials, the Chief Minister had also raised the issue of valley before Union Road Transport Minister several times.
To ensure smooth traffic in NH 43, especially near valley, he said the department had also spent about Rs 150 lakh in past four years to construct guard and retaining walls, widening of road at turnings, etc. Presently, the works of about Rs 19 lakh are being done in the valley region, he said.
Agrawal further informed that the actual figures of traffic jams in 2008 and 2009 were 19 and 13 respectively that happened either owing to accidents, vehicle break-down or due to negligent driving.
However, Agrawal accepted that the traffic density at Valley has increased owing to NMDC and industrialisation and because of frequent transportation of iron ore, sponge iron and heavy machinery.
No comments:
Post a Comment