State to reap benefits from central tech education scheme

NEW DELHI: Meghalaya is among the eight northeastern states where Phase III of the central Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) will be implemented to raise the standard of educational institutions.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday approved the proposal for initiation of the third phase of TEQIP, which will be implemented as a central sector scheme with a total project outlay of Rs 3,600 crore.
The third phase will be focused on low-income states (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh), three hill states that include Jammu & Kashmir, northeastern states and Andaman and Nicobar islands, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
Javadekar, who is scheduled to visit Meghalaya on September 19, said educational institutions will be chosen on the basis of a challenge mode, like the competition that was held for cities under the Swachh Bharat scheme.
The minister said southern and western states had benefited from the first two phases of TEQIP. According to a statement released by the HRD ministry, the project would be initiated with a cost of Rs 2,660 crore, with the possibility of additional financing of Rs 940 crore at a later stage.
“Out of the Rs 2,660 crore, the central share will be Rs 1,330 crore and external assistance from the World Bank through International Development Association (IDA) credit of Rs 1,330 crore ($201.50 million as first tranche),” it added.
The project will be implemented with the facility of Direct Funds Transfer to the accounts of beneficiary institutes. The project will be initiated in the current year and will be co-terminus with the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) for 2019-20, the statement added. (PTI)