"Enhancing facilities top priority over opening new educational institutions": Himachal CM Sukhu

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 16 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday inaugurated the newly built Block-C building of Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya (RKMV) in Shimla.
The building was constructed at a cost of Rs 9 crore.
According to CMO, CM Sukhu said that the goal of the present state government was not merely to open new schools and colleges but to ensure they were equipped with qualified teachers and all the essential facilities.
Following the inauguration, the Chief Minister presided over the Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony for 2023-24 of the College and honoured the students excelling in various fields. A cultural programme was also presented by the students, for which the Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh to the college.
During the event, the Chief Minister made several significant announcements for the college, including the conversion of all classrooms into smart classrooms, the construction of a new hostel with full funding and a provision of Rs 50 lakh for building a digital library and repairing the science block.
He said that the state government had provided a contribution of Rs 6 crore for the construction of Block-C. He also emphasized the need for reforms in the education sector to improve the quality of education in the state and collective efforts were also required to make it possible.
CM Sukhu expressed concern that Himachal Pradesh ranks 21st in the country in terms of education quality. In response to this, he affirmed that the government would prohibit teacher transfers during the academic session and develop policies to address future challenges.
He said that the government was establishing Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools in a phased manner across all assembly constituencies so as to enhance the quality of education in rural areas.
CM Sukhu said that the State Government was committed to the welfare and betterment of women in the state and has taken several steps for their empowerment. He said that the government increased the marriageable age for girls from 18 to 21 years and has also amended the 51-year-old Himachal Pradesh Land Holding Ceiling Act, which allows adult daughters to claim a separate 150-bigha unit of ancestral property. He said that the state government has introduced 30 percent reservation for women in police recruitment.
He recalled the days when students from Sanjauli Degree College and RKMV frequently appeared on merit lists and expressed pride in seeing his former peers now in teaching and administrative positions.
He lauded RKMV College for its rich history and said that this college has played a crucial role in producing distinguished alumni, such as Vijaya Thakur, Himachal's first Indian Foreign Service officer, and IPS officer Tilotama Verma.
Apart from this, the Chief Minister outlined several initiatives of the state government aimed at supporting vulnerable groups. The government has adopted 4,000 orphaned children as "Children of the State" and was providing free education to 23,000 children of widowed mothers.
He said that the state government has also started Dr YS Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana under which the underprivileged students seeking higher education were getting loans of up to Rs. 20 lakh at just one percent interest.
"Moreover, the government is actively working to combat drug addiction and would establish a State-Level Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Center at Kotla-Barog in Sirmaur District, aimed at helping individuals struggling with addiction reintegrate into society. Apart from this, the government was also working to establish the Center of Excellence in Kandaghat, Solan District, to provide higher education to 9,000 differently-abled students," CM Sukhu said.
Earlier in the programme, the Principal RKMV, Anurita Saxena, welcomed the Chief Minister and presented the annual report of the college.
MLA Harish Janartha, Mayor Surinder Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, SP Sanjeev Gandhi, ENC NP Singh, Director Higher Education Amarjeet Sharma and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.