Change required in higher education to sensitise y

Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi making medical facilities available in the far off hill areas is still a challenge before the government.

Dehradun: Transforming the state`s young into an educated and skilled work force, changes in the higher education system aimed at sensitising the youth towards human values and making them responsible citizens are some of the things Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi advocated in his Republic Day address on Saturday.

"We need to make several changes in our higher education system to transform our young population into an educated and skilled work force. These should be such changes which will sensitise youth towards human values and make them responsible citizens, enhance their skills, make them creative and help them become self dependen, Qureshi said in his address. Scientific research, keeping in mind the local needs, is also required to become part of higher education, he said. Trained teachers should be appointed in each school, he said, adding that to build a physically and mentally healthy generation, art, culture and moral studies must be included in the school syllabic. The Governor said making medical facilities available in the far off hill areas is still a challenge before the government which has to be met by making up for the shortage of doctors and nurses in hospitals in the remote hill terrain. He also said people need to be made aware of how local produce can help in fighting malnutrition and anaemia among women and children. "Created as the 27th state of our country, Uttarakhand has completed 12 years of its journey of development but a lot more remains to be done. Our goal is to provide each citizen of our state health, education and all basic facilities all required for a better life," he said. Qureshi also paid respect to all those who fought for statehood to Uttarakhand and saluted the brave soldiers, who guard the frontiers of the country. He also saluted the women of the region who played a crucial role in the creation of the hill state as well as spreading the message of environment protection in the entire world. "The dedication, sincerity and hard work of the women folk of Uttarakhand is well-known. They have set an example before the world by their love for nature and the environment.Life of women in rural hill areas of the state is very difficult. To change this, their education and means of making them self-dependent need to be improved," Qureshi said. "We will have to ensure that they have a share in the fruits of development. Only then can we think of women empowerment. It is hoped that a positive change will come about due to the 50 percent reservation for women for the post of sarpanch in Van Panchayats," he said. He termed as alarming the skewed sex ratio in the state and attributed it to increasing incidence of female foeticide. "I appeal to the media and all responsible citizens to start a widespread campaign condemning such practices against women and children. This mindset must change. We must resolve strongly to protect the rights of women and children in our society, Qureshi said. Despite all odds, the state government has taken several steps to reduce unemployment and backwardness. It has been making efforts to provide social, financial and political justice to all. To resolve the problems of minorities, a Minorities Welfare Ministry has been constituted, he said. "An Urdu Academy and a Haj Committee have been constituted in Uttarakhand. The Uttarakhand government will get the Waqf property in the state surveyed by a retired District Judge of High Court Judge," he said. The entire property which belongs to Waqf should be placed in its records and all illegal occupants should be strictly dealt with so that the Waqf property can be used for charitable purpose only. The state has made progress in the sphere of industries but in order to bring about a balanced development, taking industries to the hill areas is a must, he said. Cottage and small scale environment friendly industries should be set up in the hill areas for which a special policy needs to be framed. Such industries in the hills will help farmers there get good prices for their produce and check migration from the hills by generating employment opportunities, the Governor said. PTI