Arunachal education minister PD Sona stresses timely completion of RUSA, PM-USHA projects

P D Sona, Education Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, on May 19 emphasised the maximum utilisation of central funds, creation of quality infrastructure and timely completion of projects under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) schemes to strengthen higher education in the state.

Chairing the ninth meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh State Higher Education Council (APSHEC) in Itanagar, Sona thanked the Ministry of Education for financing key infrastructure projects in higher educational institutions under the two central schemes.

Describing Arunachal Pradesh as a resource-crunch state, the minister stressed the importance of economical use of funds while maintaining both quality and quantity in project execution. He also called for constant monitoring and timely completion of all ongoing RUSA and PM-USHA projects in the state.

Sona further stated that, as per government directions, all new projects would be assigned to the Public Works Department (PWD) as a single executing agency to ensure uniformity in infrastructure development.

Earlier, Director of Higher and Technical Education Dr. Miloras Modi, who also serves as the State Project Director for RUSA and PM-USHA, highlighted the role of APSHEC in implementing the schemes and said the council plays a crucial role in the holistic development of higher education in the state.

State Nodal Officer for RUSA and PM-USHA, Minto Ete, presented a detailed report on the status of ongoing projects and actions taken on decisions from previous meetings.

State Education Commissioner Amjad Tak advised the council to continue providing guidance to ensure that higher and technical education in the state progresses effectively. He also stressed the need for obtaining land allotment and possession certificates for all higher educational institutions at the earliest.