Moratorium for 3 years on opening of new Pvt BEd Colleges likely
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 27: In order to give thrust to multifaceted growth in transport infrastructure, the State Government is planning to establish Jammu and Kashmir State Road Development Corporation and a proposal in this regard is being placed before the State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah at Karnah in Kupwara district on May 31. The Cabinet is also likely to impose moratorium for three years on the opening of new private BEd Colleges in the State.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Public Works (R&B) Department has worked out a detailed proposal in consultation with the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who is also holding the portfolio of R&B, for establishment of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Development Corporation in order to give a thrust to comprehensive growth in transport infrastructure.
“The State Road Development Corporation, which as per the proposal would be notified as State Highway Authority for the roads to be declared as State Highways, is intended to promote surface infrastructure by taking up road works, including tunneling and appurtenant structures and to take up projects on Build-Own Transfer (BOT), Build-Own-Operate and Transfer (BOOT), Build-Own-Lease and Transfer (BOLT) under Public Private Partnership (PPP) as well as major projects entrusted by State and Central Governments”, sources said.
About the objectives of the Corporation, sources said that it will act as nodal agency of the State Government for executing major roads and allied infrastructure projects, prepare and develop strategic plans for the State road sector and identification and selection of projects based upon economic, social, technical and commercial criteria.
The Corporation will also encourage private sector participation in transport infrastructure, raise resources for the identified projects, develop projects in the State on public private partnership basis and undertake projects outside J&K either in joint venture or alone, sources informed, adding the Corporation will have the responsibility of attracting Viability Gap Funding from Union Ministry of Road and Transport and Planning Commission besides reducing dependence on State exchequer in respect of maintenance of State Highways and Major District Roads.
In order to ensure that establishment of Corporation don’t put any financial burden on the State exchequer, the existing Project Organization implementing Mughal Road Project will initially discharge the functions of JKSRDC till the time Corporation becomes fully operational and has such projects in hand which can meet the financial requirement of additional key personnel, sources said, adding it has been proposed that at the outset no new creation will be made and minimally needed staff will be provided by internal adjustment by Administrative Department of R&B.
Chief Minister will be the Chairman of the Corporation while as Minister for PW (R&D) Department Senior Vice-Chairman and Chief Secretary as Vice-Chairman. The Administrative Secretaries of PWD, Finance, Planning and Development, Forest, Housing and Urban Development Departments and MD of the Corporation will be its Directors.
“Initially, the Administrative Secretary of R&B Department will hold the charge of Managing Director of Corporation and Chief Engineer, Project Organization as Additional MD. However, at the later stage, the MD will be replaced by a full time IAS officer of Selection Grade”, sources informed, adding the Corporation will have the mandate to frame State Road Development Policy for a period of 20 years by constituting a task force.
Disclosing that Planning and Finance Departments have already conveyed approval for establishment of Corporation, sources said that Planning and Development Department has also agreed to provide Rs 1 crore as Share Capital to the Corporation soon after its establishment.
Sources informed that Cabinet will also consider and accord approval to the proposal of the Higher Education Department for imposing moratorium for three years on the opening of new private BEd Colleges.
“The private BEd colleges have been established with a purpose to equip and train the teachers for better practices in teaching and for upgrading standards of teaching but the School Education Department has fixed the requisite qualification for recruitment of teachers as 10+2 and there is no specific preference for BEd”, sources said, adding “there is only a weight-age of points for BEd and MEd courses as such the purpose for the establishment of BEd Colleges for maintaining better standards is getting defeated”.
Keeping in view the prevailing situation, the policy of School Education Department for the recruitment of teachers would require a review in prescribed qualification for a teacher so that they can properly contribute in educating future generations.
“The Higher Education Department is of the opinion that till BEd is made compulsory requirement for recruitment of teachers on the pattern of other States and the Colleges already established get fully equipped besides adopting uniform standards prescribed by NCTE, the moratorium on opening of new private BEd colleges should continue for maintenance and up-gradation of standards”, sources said, adding “the Higher Education Department is also seeking directions to School Education Department to consider re-framing Recruitment Rules for teachers with BEd as basic qualification”.
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