CM: Innovation policy underway to give push to entrepreneurship

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today expressed concern over seven buildings constructed at a cost of Rs 126.45 core but still were lying vacant.

While reviewing the functioning of the Technical Education Department here today, the Chief Minister said wastage of public funds in the name of mere construction was not acceptable. He expressed concern over the vacant buildings and said that these seven buildings constructed between 2018 and 2023 were lying vacant. He directed the department to formulate an action plan for the optimum utilisation of these buildings in public interest.

He said the state government was promoting innovation in the state and ‘State Innovation and Start-Up Policy-2025’ was underway to encourage entrepreneurship. The government was also contemplating to establish a Digital University of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Skill and Vocational Studies at Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district for which 258 bighas of land had been identified.

The CM also stressed on introducing new age courses in the Technical Education institutions to ensure that youths were trained for emerging employment sectors. He expressed happiness over the introduction of M.Tech (EV-Tech) course in Hydro Engineering College, Bandla in Bilaspur district with an intake of 30 students.

Sukhu instructed the department to grade the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and Polytechnic Colleges as per the enrolment of the students, overall performance and other facilities available in these institutions. The government would fill up the vacant posts in the technical education institutions and also extend all possible assistance to these institutions, he said.

The CM said providing quality technical education to the students within the state was the focus of the present state government so as to equip them with market relevant skills that enhance employability. He also reviewed the functioning of Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam and Himachal Pradesh Takniki Shiksha Board and issued necessary directions for bringing improvements in their functioning.