Punjab CM orders free class XI & XII education for poor deserving students of MRSAFPI
To facilitate aspiring economically backward students from the state to get into the Armed Forces, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday decided that the State would bear the cost of poor students, admitted to Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), Mohali, for their Class XI & XII education.
The Institute has tied up with a reputed private school in Mohali for education of students who clear its entrance examination. Forty such students are currently selected for their senior secondary school education by the Institute, but they are required to pay their own school fee of Rs. 45,000 a year. With the Chief Minister’s directive, poor and deserving students who are admitted to the Institute basis an entrance exam will also be able to join the Mohali school, said an official spokesperson after the 4th Governing Body Meeting of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute.
To meet the additional expenses thus incurred, the Chief Minister also asked the Finance Department to examine its proposal for additional funds of Rs. 9.5 crore, in addition to the 8.5 crore, for making up the required corpus of Rs. 18 crore.
In another move aimed at motivating and preparing youngsters to join the Armed Forces, the Chief Minister also directed the Director General to formulate a proposal, in consultation with the Secretary School Education, to set up Cadet Training Wings in select government schools, in line with the plan to establish such Wings in some private schools.
At today’s meeting, the Chief Minister asked the Finance Department to sanction requisite funds to establish the Cadet Training Wings at the selected private schools in Patiala, Mohali, Sangrur, Beas and Nabha to impart training to the students for joining NDA. Thereafter, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi suggested expanding the programme, wherein the Institute will send trainers to the selected schools, also of government schools.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister directed the Institute’s Director General to explore, with the CEO PEDA, the possibility of installation of 50 KW rooftop solar power generation unit at a cost of Rs. 26 lakh.
In another move, the Chief Minister asked the Finance Department to review the proposal of Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for Girls, Mohali, during its Governing Body meeting for enhancing the Institute’s corpus so as to make it financially self-sustainable. Regarding the installation of drip irrigation system and a shallow bore-well in the Institute at a cost of total Rs. 13.20 lakh, the Chief Minister asked the Director General to take up this issue with the Chief Conservator of Soils as the department of Soil Conservation gives subsidy on it. With regard to the repair and maintenance of the Institute, the Chief Minister directed the Secretary Employment Generation and Training to take up the matter with the PWD B&R department to ensure its timely periodic repairs and maintenance.
