Balance between expansion, consolidation imperative for growth of education : CM

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 2: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that the balance between expansion and consolidation is of prime importance for meaningful growth and development of various sectors, adding that education and health care fields demand all the more focused attention in this regard.
Interacting with the students of Kashmir University here after inaugurating the Girls Hostel and laying foundation for Boys Hostel, Omar Abdullah replied questions of the students pertaining to wide ranging subjects.
The Chief Minister said that his Government concentrated on consolidation aspect during the first two years of its tenure to operationalize the infrastructure and ensure smooth functioning of health and educational institutions to the benefit of the people. “We provided equipment, faculty, staff and other related requirements to these institutions to utilize the infrastructure”, he added and said that for this reason the consolidation aspect was given priority.
The Chief Minister said that while his Government is actively expanding Government job ambit for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir yet addressing unemployment problem does not lie exclusively in providing Government employment to young educated persons. “We have opened many windows for the purpose including introduction of SKEWPY, Skills Development Mission, encouragement of MSME sector, enhancement of employability of educated youth under Udaan and Himayat besides roping in corporate sector for making campus recruitments,” he added.
Omar Abdullah said that courses of marketability and modern relevance are being introduced at the higher education level in the State. He said various universities and their satellite campuses functioning across the State are offering new subjects and concentrating on imparting modern studies of science and technology to the students so that they are easily absorbed in the open market.
In reply to a question, Omar Abdullah said that he would discuss the issue of introducing modern science subjects in the newly opened degree colleges in the State at various places and added that there is urgent need of starting such courses so that students choose subjects of their choice to study further.
Vice Chancellor Kashmir University, Talat Ahmad in his address said that by participating in the interaction session with the Chief Minister the students have had an opportunity to get direct answers of their questions from the Head of the State and Pro-Chancellor of the University face to face.
Earlier, Omar Abdullah inaugurated Qurat-ul-Ayn Haider Girls Hostel at the main Campus of University of Kashmir, Hazratbal. The 296 bedded girls hostel with adequate facilities has been constructed at a cost of over Rs. 5.40 crores. The main highlights of the five storyed hostel building include 57 rooms to accommodate 296 female students and research scholars, reading hall, browsing centre, dining hall, kitchen, lobby, recreation room, wash room blocks, etc.
The Chief Minister also laid foundation of Sheikh-ul-Aalam (RA) Boys Hostel block at Zakura to accommodate 400 boys. The construction involves an expenditure of Rs. 20.70 crores. It will provide a suitable environment to the students at Zakura Campus and this campus will come up in two phases.
The New Zakura Campus is proposed to be developed on scientific lines and 18 projects including Boys Hostel, Science Centre, B-Tech/Engineering Block, Social Work Block, Shah-I-Hamdan Institute of Islamic Studies, Business School, Law School, Bio-Research Block, Geography Department, Gymnasium, Pharmaceutical Block, etc. have been proposed in this campus.