Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 20: Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent Charge for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh today announced Rs.10 lakh from his MPLAD fund to start construction work at the site identified for the University of Jammu offsite Campus at Patnitop.
He said, as the government grants get released for carrying out further construction, he will be ready to spare more funds from his MPLAD, as and when required, to fill in the missing gaps.
Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking to a delegation of senior professors from University of Jammu who presented a memorandum to him and updated him about the status of the Patnitop Campus project which falls under his Lok Sabha constituency. They also gave a representation for early release of UGC grants and other government funds. The Minister was also given a brief about the plan to set up the J&K State’s first full-fledged Institute of Hotel Management in this campus. In addition, University School of Engineering & Vocational Studies, University School of Winter & Adventure Sports and Centre for Extension & Outreach Programmes have also been approved for this campus.
Emphasizing on the need to ensure quality education, Dr Jitendra Singh suggested that, as we go ahead with the construction work, simultaneously a search process should be initiated to identify the most distinguished faculty from across the country, so that the proposed institute of Hotel Management can emerge as a centre of excellence for students from all over India. This is particularly essential in today’s date and time, he said, because with the fast proliferation of corporate and private sector, the employers are very choosy and scrutinizing while giving jobs to the new professionals. Therefore, a new institute can prove viable only when it is capable of attracting campus placement by leading national and multinational employers, he added.
In a positive response to a proposal for solar energy plant to be set up by the campus management which will not only cater to the energy requirements of the campus, but also serve the needs of the rural people living in Patnitop vicinity, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he will take up the issue with the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) and will also arrange a meeting of university representatives with the officials of MNRE.
Dr Jitendra Singh also suggested the introduction of short-term training courses in Hotel Management for in-service officers from State Government, PSUs and other agencies which will not only help in providing special skill to these officials, but would also be seen as a constructive contribution by the new campus institute.
Prof Arvind Jasrotia, Prof Vinay Chouhan, Prof Alka Sharma, Prof Parkash Anthral, Dr Devinder Singh and Ashok Singh, among others, met Dr Jitendra Singh as a part of delegation.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
