Centre sanctions 46 seats in engineering colleges for HP students

Shimla, Jul 22 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today revealed that the Centre has sanctioned 46 additional engineering seats in various prestigious engineering colleges of the country for bonafide Himachali students.

Addressing Himachal cadre, IAS and other officers on deputation with various ministries in New Delhi, he said the notification regarding additional seats in engineering colleges would be issued in a week's time.

Mr Dhumal said the additional seats have been sanctioned following its persistent demand to the Centre to maintain the state's last year's quota after it had reduced the number of seats in colleges for bonafide Himachali students.

These seats have been allocated from the current academic session and the admission process for the seats would be completed soon, he added.

He said a high level central delegation, headed by Joint Secretary, HRD Ministry, would visit the state in the first week of September to finalise the sites for setting up of an IIT and a Central University in the state.

The state government has also offered full assistance to the central team and is willing to provide helicopter facilities, in case they wish to come during monsoon season, he said.

The Chief Minister declared that top officials of the state government and the Heads of Departments would be sent to Delhi to hold detailed discussions with the Central Government Departments and Ministries concerned to understand its various ongoing development schemes and projects.

He said since relations between the Centre and the state were cordial, this would help in raising funds for the state's developmental schemes.

Earlier, various officers presented the list of the schemes available with the ministries concerned and assured that they would contribute maximum for the sanction of the developmental schemes of the State.

Mr Anurag Thakur MP and about 25 officers of the Himachal cadre in the Central Government also attended the meeting.

UNI AS MA SBC MIR KP1943