Guwahati: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was today signed between the Assam Institute of Research for Tribals and Scheduled Castes (AIRTSC), Government of Assam, and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to help AIRTSC build up its capacity, training and research activities for socio-economic development of different ethnic tribes, SC, ST and OBC and empowering them socially and economically.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who was present at the MoU signing ceremony, said, ‘The expertise to be offered by TISS would help provide the much-needed impetus to AIRTSC to enhance its capacity building, training and research activities to a great extent.’ He said the government is also tying up with Stanford University, USA, in the field of documenting the life and rich cultural heritage of the ethnic and indigenous communities of the state.
Minister of State for WPT & BC Rajib Lochan Pegu said the signing of MoU with TISS would help AIRTSC to reach out to the disadvantaged and deprived groups and communities to a great extent on issues relating to empowerment and economic development. Virginius Xaxa, Professor & Deputy Director, TISS, Guwahati, said both the institutions would collaborate with each other in developing academic training, capacity building and research programmes with special emphasis on marginalised and vulnerable groups.
Xaxa further said as part of the new initiatives integrated courses in social sciences, social work, ecology, environment and sustainable development would commence from August 2012. (UNI)