NAMCHI, : Chief Minister Prem Singh
Tamangon Tuesday laid the foundation stone for Sikkim Global Technical
University (SGTU) at Singtam Ward under Rong-Bul GPU in Namchi district.
The Chief Minister was joined
by Deputy Speaker Raj Kumari Thapa, Education minister Raju Basnet, Urban
Development minister Bhoj Raj Rai, MLAs Satish Chandra Rai, Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia
and N.B. Pradhan, former Namchi-Singithang MLA and CM’s
spouse Krishna Kumari Rai, SGTU pro-chancellor Dr.AnkurJohri, chancellor Saurav
Singh Dal, registrar Dr.Saurabh Singal, Namchi BDO, zilla members, councillors
and panchayats.
It was informed that SGTU will provide
undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the following nine schools:
Engineering and Technology, Computer Science and IT, Commerce and Management,
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Sciences, Library and Information
Sciences, Vocational Studies, Agriculture and Hotel Management
PhD courses will also be
introduced soon. The university currently holds 10 acres of land, with planned
infrastructure including a multi-storeyed academic building, cafeteria,
playground, fountain, auditorium, laboratories and hostels for both boys and
girls.
The Chief Minister, in his
address, emphasized that new universities will be established in rural areas,
rather than Gangtok, to boost societal development. He highlighted Rong-Bul
GPU’s favourable geological conditions and aspirational community as reasons for
choosing it as the SGTU location.
He also directed SGTU to abide
by Sikkim’s minimum wage law of Rs. 15,000 per month and assured
government support when necessary.
The Chief Minister also
announced that 500-beded hospital at Namchi will be inaugurated on May 21 by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also shared that the government will work on
mega water supply project in Namchi district. “Be it from Dzongu or Changu, we
will bring the water. We will spend crores of rupees even if we have to,” he
stated.
While responding to demands put
forward by Namchi Singhithang MLA during the event, the Chief Minister announced
new premises for district administrative centre, tourism improvements, road
widening and flyovers in key locations and transformation of Central Park to
amphitheatre. He further announced
construction of a mini-stadium, guest house and wellness park in Namchi.
Golay also announced extension
of Namchi Bazaar towards Maniram-Bhanjyang GPU, new government institutions, Sikkim
Medical Science University at Maniram-Bhanjyang, BDO office at Kopchey, and
construction of monasteries, Brahma kumari centres and Mangkhims in Namchi town.
Golay also informed that only
students from government schools and those passing the National Eligibility
Test (NET) will receive government support for higher studies including MBBS and
engineering. He added that health workers (ANS) unwilling to work night shifts
will be demoted.
During the event, the
panchayats of Rong-Bul GPU felicitated the Chief Minister. The SGTU felicitated
Krishna KumariRai, MLA Satish Chandra Rai, SKM CLC president Tashi Dorjee and
vice-president Milan Rai for their support in establishing the university.
Additionally, students of SGTU
received certificates from the Chief Minister for successfully completing
courses in Media Influencing and Computer Science.
