Itanagar, May 19: Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona has emphasised the need for maximum and judicious utilisation of central funds for the development of higher education infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh, stating that the resource-constrained State must ensure economical execution of projects without compromising on quality.
Chairing the 9th Council Meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh State Higher Education Council (APSHEC) on Tuesday, Sona stressed the importance of creating high-standard infrastructure in higher education institutions across the State.
He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for financing the key infrastructures of the higher education institutions in the State under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
Highlighting the importance of timely implementation, the minister directed authorities to ensure constant monitoring and speedy completion of all RUSA and PM-USHA projects currently underway in the State.
Sona further informed that, as per Government direction, all upcoming projects would be assigned to a single executing agency — the Public Works Department (PWD) — to maintain uniformity in infrastructure development.
The meeting reviewed the status of ongoing and completed projects under RUSA and PM-USHA and assessed the implementation of various higher education development initiatives in the State.
Commissioner (Education) Amjad Tak called for continuous guidance from the Council to ensure that higher and technical education in the State remains on the right track. He also stressed the need for early procurement of Land Allotment Certificates and Land Possession Certificates for all higher education institutions and urged stakeholders to remain proactive in implementing key projects.
Earlier while welcoming the council members, Director of Higher and Technical Education-cum-State Project Director (RUSA/PM-USHA), Dr Milorai Modi, highlighted the role of APSHEC as a statutory body in ensuring the holistic growth and development of higher education in Arunachal Pradesh. He also sought valuable suggestions from council members for strengthening the sector.
State Nodal Officer for RUSA/PM-USHA, Minto Ete, presented a detailed report on action taken regarding decisions made in previous meetings and the current status of projects under both schemes.