Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Sept 21: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today hosted a get-together for a group of around 50 school children from Kishtwar, which was accompanied by over one hour informal interaction, during which the students engaged themselves in a free, frank discussion on a wide range of subjects related to Kishtwar as well as some of the current topics.
The children, mostly in the age group of 14-16 years, were excited over their first-ever visit to Delhi. They were also thankful to Dr Jitendra Singh for having facilitated the sight-seeing and other arrangements for them at the national capital.
Most of the children were strikingly aware of the recent education-related initiatives in Kishtwar. They particularly lauded the Modi Government and Dr Jitendra Singh for the new Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Degree College at Paddar under Central RUSA, a Nursing College and an ITI which had all been approved only in the last four years.
Dr Jitendra Singh also informed them of a full-fledged AYUSH Hospital to be set up at Kishtwar, for which, to begin with, a Central grant of Rs. 50 crore had been sanctioned. He disclosed that the foundation stone laying ceremony of this hospital had been scheduled for 22nd September, but was deferred on account of the modal code of conduct due to local body elections.
The students were also thrilled when Dr Jitendra Singh informed them that very soon, the existing Air-strip at Kishtwar will be upgraded, so that it would be possible to land an Aircraft there. The negotiations for acquisition of extra land for this purpose from the Defence forces have already been finalized, he told them.
Dr Jitendra Singh also told the children about the Pakkal-Dul Power Project at Kishtwar which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the State on 19th of May this year and which will be a major source of power generation as well as job creation for the entire region.
The existing extension campus of Jammu University in Kishtwar also came up for appreciation and Dr Jitendra Singh said that soon, it would be a possible to introduce more teaching departments for the benefit of students. Similarly, he said, every effort is being made to start the first academic session from next year in the upcoming new Government Medical College at Doda, which will also enable children from this region to go in for higher medical studies without having to travel to Jammu or elsewhere.
The students also indulged in a lively question-answer session in which they discussed the working of the Parliament and the rich history of North Block and South Block, which happen to be the seats of authority in the Government of India.
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