' Education and jobs tops the list'

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 16: The chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today laid the foundation stone for the University of Gour Banga in English Bazaar town this morning.

Speaking on the occassion the chief minister said that education system should be upgraded keeping in mind the employment opportunities for the next generation in the state. “We have achieved tremendous progress in agriculture over the years, but our dream of the state's rejuvenation in the industrial and educational spheres has remained unfulfilled. We must endeavour hard to translate the dream into reality with the cooperation of all,” he said.

Stressing upon the development of minorities in education Mr Bhattacharya said that his government had sanctioned Rs 44 lakh for the University of Gour Banga to arrange for the vocational training of Muslim boys and girls from three districts Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur.

“Muslims have become the majority community in terms of population in Malda, yet they are lagging behind as far as the quality of life is concerned,” he said.

The chief minister appealed to the university authorities to turn the new educational institution into a centre of excellence, announcing that Rs.20 lakhs had been sanctioned from Uttar Banga Unnayan Parishad fund.

The state higher education minister, Mr Sudarshan Roy Choudhury said that he would demand more funds from Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, the chairman of the University Grants Commission to develop the infrastructure of the colleges.

“The chairman of the UGC would be coming on 18 November. I would meet him and demand more funds for the development of colleges and universities in the state,” he said.

The chief minister also said that his government was contemplating in terms of setting up a medical college in the district. Addressing the 78th state conference of West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association last evening, the chief minister admitted that the primary education in the state was not upto the general expectation. “We are trying to plug the loopholes,” he assured.

The chief minister also expressed concern over the alarming growth of the religious fundamentalism and its concomitant terrorism in the country as well as in the state. “We are facing problems over the separate state hood demands in Darjeeling, Cooch Behar and other parts of the state like Bankura and Purulia. Development would gradually erase collective grievances,” the chief minister said.