HP govt to set up modern libraries up to panchayat level

The state government is planning to set up modern libraries, equipped with the latest facilities at the district, sub-divisional and panchayat level. As many as 493 libraries will be established in the first phase at an estimated cost of Rs 88 crore. Revealing this while chairing the Principal’s Conference, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said his government was planning to enhance the financial and administrative powers of college principals and promote decentralisation within the education department.

“This approach will ensure good governance and timely completion of various tasks,” he said. Besides, he said, the principals would be empowered to provide financial assistance to the needy students.

He said that postgraduate courses would be introduced in Sanskrit colleges and efforts would be made to strengthen the district-level colleges and provide support to colleges in remote areas. “The government is working on introducing an hourly-based period concept as and when there’s a scarcity of teaching staff. Besides, the government is ensuring the recruitment of teachers on a regular basis,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that plans to develop integrated sports complexes in all Assembly constituencies and introduce B.Ed. courses in colleges with adequate infrastructure were also in the pipeline. “The next financial year will witness significant reforms in education with a special focus on strengthening institutions to provide quality education,” he said.

He further said that the state government was also taking innovative steps to modernise medical education and promote the latest medical technologies. “An amount of Rs 500 crore has been allocated for the sector this year,” he said.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the state was the first in the country to introduce ranking systems for educational institutions. “This initiative would ensure self-assessment and auditing of institutions, which will allow them to identify their strengths and weaknesses,” he said, adding that the institutions with higher rankings would be rewarded with performance-based grants.

The Chief Minister also released the grading of libraries in government degree colleges and Sanskrit colleges. He emphasized that the state government was committed to bringing positive changes across all government sectors with the aim of systemic transformation.

“A new numerical-based online system for recording Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) would soon be implemented, replacing the existing format, which is expected to yield numerous positive outcomes,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Rohit Thakur underlined the government’s commitment to strengthening the education sector. “Significant strides have been taken in improving infrastructure and filling up vacant positions in educational institutions,” he said. “Modern courses were being introduced to align with global education standards and region-specific curricula were being considered to enhance employability and economic prosperity,” he said.