MOU signed between HRD and Railway Ministries

(PIB NEWS) An MOU was signed between the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Ministry of Railways here today in the presence of Smt. Mamata Banerjee, Union Minister of Railways and Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development. The MoU for the HRD Ministry was signed by Smt. Anshu Vaish, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy for matters related to school education and by Smt. Vibha Puri Das, Secretary, Department of Higher Education for matters relating to higher education. On behalf of the Ministry of Railways, Shri A.K. Goel, Member (Staff), Railway Board signed the MOU. As per the MoU, on the railway land identified by the Ministry of Railways, the two ministries will strive to develop educational infrastructure in the form of around 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas in civil sector (about 20 during the 11th Plan and the balance during the 12th Plan), 10 Residential Schools on the pattern of Navodaya Vidayalayas ( to be set up by Ministry of Railways in collaboration with Ministry of HRD on mutually agreed terms), an appropriate number of Model Degree Colleges and Technical and Management institutions of National Importance to meet the demand for education including wards of Railway employees, either as per the norms specified under the existing schemes/programmes and projects being executed by Ministry of Human Resource Development or through special programmes and projects mutually agreed by the parties or through innovative financing under Public Private Partnership Models or any combinational thereof. The development of educational infrastructure would include new facilities. This will also include upgradation of existing educational and technical institutions being managed by Railways for which Ministry of Human Resource Development would provide necessary assistance and know how in the interest of improving over all quality of education. For the achievement of objectives outlined above, the two ministries will constitute a high powered working group, consisting of Senior Officials and Experts to work out a road map for viability and feasibility of upgradation of existing and development of new educational and technical institutions on Railway land within the framework of existing norms and policies ,
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