Shimla : In the wake of the political storm that has broken out over the issue of grant of unemployment allowance, the state government is contemplating granting permission for the setting up of a Skill University in the private sector at Kala Amb in Sirmour district.
The issue was discussed at length by the Cabinet at its meeting held here yesterday. Sources said a committee headed by Principal Secretary (Education) has been asked to visit the Himalayan Institute of Engineering and Education at Kala Amb in Sirmour to assess the courses, results, placement of pass outs, equipment and other infrastructure. It is only once this committee submits report that the Cabinet will give the go-ahead for the grant of Letter of Intent to the educational institute.
A total of seven institutes had sent in their bids in response to the Expression of Interest floated by the Education Department. “Out of these only four appeared for the personal interaction but only one was found to be eligible and now the case for grant of letter of Intent has been placed before the Cabinet,” said an official. Himachal does not have any Skill University.
It is only yesterday that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had announced that the state government was contemplating opening a Skill University in the state. The proposal for setting up of the Skill University at Kala Amb would, however, be in the private sector but the possibility of a similar university coming up in the government sector can also not be ruled out.
Sources in the Education Department revealed that the Himalayan Institute of Engineering and Education located on the border of Himachal and Haryana at Kala Amb has maintained very high standards of education. It has latest equipment and world class infrastructure. The institute is spread over a huge area and is offering several courses like engineering, B.Ed and M.Ed, nursing and other technical courses.
Since the Kaushal Vikas Nigam (Skill Development Corporation) will be training 65,000 youth in various technical courses under the Rs 640 crore Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project, the government could decide to set up a Skill Development University in the government sector.
Opposition BJP is trying to gain political mileage out of Chief Minister’s statement that no government, either at the Centre or state, can give unemployment allowance to the youth indefinitely. To counter this propaganda by the BJP and ensure that it does not affect Congress poll prospects in the Assembly elections due later this year, the state government will be keen to set up a Skill University both in the private as well as government sector.
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