Panaji : January 29, 2016 …. Chief Minister Shri Laxmikant Parsekar recently distributed cheques of Rs. 7.49 crores to Goa University and 8 other colleges as grants under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) at a function held at Education Bhavan, Porvorim.
Secretary (Education) Shri Virendra Kumar also graced the occasion.
The infrastructure grants were distributed to Goa University Rs. 4.16 crores and Rs. 41.66 lakhs each to St. Xaviers Colleges of Arts, Science amd Commerce Mapusa, Rosary College of Commerce and Arts, Navelim, Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Panaji, Goa College of Engineering, Ponda, Dnyanprasarak Mandal College of Arts, Mapusa, Bardez, S.S. Dempo College of Commerce and Economics, Panaji, S.V. Sridora Caculo College of Commerce and Management, Mapusa and Cuncolim Education Society’s College of Arts and Commerce, Cuncolim.
The funds released today will be utilized for undertaking programmes for higher education such as Infrastructure, Research Innovation and Quality Improvement Equity Initiative, Faculty Recruitment Support, Vocationalisation, leadership Development of Educational Administrators, Capacity Building, Data Collection, Management Information System and Monitoring and Evaluation.
RUSA has been launched by Government of India in 2012-13. The Goa Government has given its commitments to RUSA requirements in 2014. Subsequently, the institutions were requested to make their institutional Plans. The Directorate of Higher Education made State Plan and submitted to Government of India, who based on the plan sanctioned 20 crores to Goa University and Rs. 2 crores each to 8 Colleges in the first instance.
The Government College Quepem has been identified as Model Degree College with a grant of 4 crores which would be released on production of Detail Project Report. The first installment of these grants totaling to 4.5 crores was released to State Government. The Government of Goa has released its share of 1.33 crores to add up to Central Share.
The Chief Minister Shri Laxmikant Parsekar speaking on the occasion said with the benefit of RUSA, the higher educational institutions will be in position to initiate improvement and reforms, in their institutions. Although the educational institutions in Goa are sufficient considering the population ratio, the funds released under RUSA will bring in much needed advancement and improvement.
The Chief Minister further said that the Project Approval Board of RUSA has already approved 10 more Colleges for RUSA grants. The Central Share is yet to be received. The same is expected to be received before the close of the current fiscal year and once the Central Share is received, the State Share will be released to these ten institutions, he said.
The Chief Minister said that Goa is the only State in the country, where more than 90% of the institutions are covered for the grants and Goa is the first State to have been covered for grants to grant-in-aid colleges. In other states, only Government institutions are covered for grants, he said.
Secretary (Education) Shri Virendra Kumar speaking on the occasion said the higher educational institutions in Goa will be in position, to impart quality education from these grants and commended their efforts on receiving the grants.
Shri Bhaskar Nayak, Director, Higher Education welcomed.
Shri Srinivas Dhempo, member of Goa State Higher Education Council and management of Goa University and Colleges were present on the occasion.
