Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday urged the Centre for a one time grant of Rs 281.17 crore to create infrastructure development in all the higher education institutions of the state.
Chief Minister Nabam Tuki in a memorandum to Union HRD minister M M Pallam Raju said that due to resource crunch, the state government was not in a position to provide the required fund for creation of basic infrastructure for 12 government degree colleges and three university level institutions “Meagre funds provided are meant for construction of temporary buildings. Buildings are, therefore, either out-lived or not suitable for running a Degree college. In some of the colleges the existing capacity is for 1500 or 2000 students but due to heavy rush of admission the enrollment of students has crossed 4000 marks and thus become unmanageable with limited accommodation,” he said.
Also under the present scheme of setting up of model colleges, the costs of establishment are shared by the central and state governments in the ratio of 50:50.
However, considering the resource crunch in most of the North-eastern states, it is requested that full support may be provided to the scheme from the Centre or at best, the state share may be limited to 10 per cent only, Tuki urged in the memorandum.
“About 50 per cent of schools under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan are located in remote and far-flung areas. Lack of residential accommodation in the rural schools has resulted in absenteeism of teachers from their posting places,” Tuki pointed out. (PTI)