Vice president Jagdeep Dhankar on Wednesday visited Manipur for the first time after assuming office. He along with his wife Dr Sudesh Dhankar arrived in a special Indian Air Force flight at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, Imphal, where he was accorded a warm welcome by Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Minister of State for External Affairs and Education RK Ranjan Singh and other dignitaries.
MAHUD Minister Y Khemchand, Minister Trade, Commerce and Industries, Nemcha Kipgen, WRD Minister Awangbou Newmai, Th Shyamkumar, MLA, S Rajen, MLA, Chief Secretary, DGP and other top civil and police officials were also welcomed the vice-president at the airport.
Guard-of-Honour was given to the vice president by a contingent of Manipur Rifles at the airport, from where he headed for a interaction programme with the faculty and students held at the auditorium of Dhanamanjuri University in Imphal.
Speaking at the occasion, the vice president said Manipur is strategically located and is famous for its beauty in diversity, art and culture, sports and many other fields. He said, there has been a remarkable impact in the field of sports as the state has produced a number of sportspersons who had contributed significantly for the country.
Manipur has been home for polo and the state is gifted with a huge potential of medicinal plants. He continued that with a deep vision for the Northeast by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a number of developmental programmes have been introduced under the Act East Policy and there has been a phenomenal change in the region. He said, air, rail and road connectivity have been improved and the region is emerging as a new destination for tourists.
Stating that India is rising as never before, Dhankar said, in these years of Amritkal, youths are the warriors and all should contribute for making India the most developed nation by 2047. On New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Vice President said, it is not a political policy but a national policy which aims for bringing up youths to the highest level and definitely it will be a game changer.
Under the NEP 2020 policy, the Indian education system has been formulated for skilling youths targeting their potentials in different areas and it will allow students to fully explore their potentials.
Stating that nation first should be the vision, he said, our nationalism is beyond compromise. He said, students should always believe in their aptitude and they should have dreams. He urged the students to work hard for making their teachers, parents, state, and the nation proud.
The vice president thanked the chief minister and his team for their work towards the development of the state. He also thanked everyone for their welcome and said he will visit Manipur again.
Governor Uikey while attending the interaction programme thanked the vice president and his wife for coming to Manipur. She said, realizing the future educational needs of India, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, constituted a committee on education policy under the chairmanship of Dr K Kasturirangan and in May 2019, the committee submitted the new draft of the NEP 2020 to the government.
She said the main objective of NEP 2020 is to make India an educational superpower globally and to raise the quality of education by universalizing education in India.
In India, first in 1968, the education policy was formulated and revised in 1992. After almost 34 years, in 2020, many rules related to education have been changed and NEP was formulated. It is the responsibility of all to implement this education policy, she said.
The governor said, under the remarkable initiative of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Dhanamanjuri University (DMU) is striving for the promotion of higher education.
The DM University is one of the few universities in the country which is offering twin courses of Under Graduate and Post Graduate programmes simultaneously.
Quality is the first principle for DMU. The state government is committed to the development of education, she added.
The governor again thanked the vice president and said, his guidance to the university will be a source of inspiration in the implementation of NEP 2020.
Speaking at the interaction programme, Chief Minister N Biren Singh thanked the vice president for his valuable visit to the state. He said, the youth of the nation have the power to shape their destiny and future of our society. He said, as India sets upon itself a vision to become a developed country by 2047, participation and engagement of youth is critical towards realizing this vision.
To strengthen the education system in Manipur, various steps were taken up by the State Government. He continued that as a part of our endeavour to improve higher education sector, Dhanamanjuri University was established in 2017 with infrastructure funding of under Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan. Many other initiatives have also been introduced for students in the state.
Chief Minister further said that there have been a number of developmental activities taken up in the State. He said, helicopter service for far flung areas has been introduced and infrastructure development for rail connectivity is in progress.
The state has produced 19 Olympians so far and an Olympian Park has been developed. The State has a huge tourism potential in natural and cultural heritage. Medical tourism is also a potential area where we can attract people from neighbouring states and even from Myanmar, he added.
Forest and Environment Minister Th Biswajit, Education Minister Th Basantakumar Singh, TA and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip, Veterinary Minister Khasim Vashum, MPs, MLAs, teachers, students attended the programme among others.
The vice president also attended an interaction programme for faculties and students of central universities and central institutions held in the evening at Manipur University in Imphal. Governor and Chief Minister also attended the programme.
