HP to take benefit of Kerala's expertise in various sectors

HP to take benefit of Kerala's expertise in various sectors

         Vijyender Sharma

Shimla----Himachal Pradesh is paired with Kerala under GoI programme 'Ek Bharat -Shreastha Bharat" (EBSB) as both the states have many similarities like best literacy rate, good social indicators, tourism, rich culture repository and Ayurveda etc. This was stated by Principal Secretary Education K.K. Pant while presiding over a review meeting of EBSB here today in which nodal officers of stakeholder departments participated.

                Shri Pant said that Kerala is a big state and doing very well in all sectors and our officers, students and other related persons could learn many things from them. He said that under EBSB cultural exchange, strengthening of bonding, sharing of best practices and exposure visits of students is being conducted. He urged the nodal officers to make concerted efforts to make this programme a big success as this is the best time and season of the year to visit Kerala.

                    He said that state government has provided Rs. 10 lakh under this programme out of which Rs. 5.50 lakh has been provided to HP State Handicraft and Handloom Corporation. He asked the Handloom Corporation to put up an exhibition in Kerala showcasing the various handicrafts such as Pahari Sculpture, Kangra and Thanka Paintings, Chamba Rumal etc.

                    He said that Rs. 4.50 lakh have been provided to Ayurveda Department and the department should send its officers/officials and private promoters to Kerala to learn best practices in Ayurveda and Naturopathy as it is much ahead in these sectors. He said that an exhibition was put up by the Tourism Department in Kochi (Kerala) in last January and this year also during Tourism Mart.

                   K.K. Pant said that a cultural troupe of Kerala consisting of 45 members visited Himachal and gave its performance in Dr. Y.S. Parmar Horticulture University, Nauni, (Solan) Gaiety Theatre, Shimla and Darlaghat (Solan) on which Department of Language Art & Culture spent rupees two lakh. He said that this cultural troupe was sponsored by South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu.

                         He said that under this programme five best books idioms and phrases representing culture of both states would be exchanged and translated. He asked the Himachal Pradesh Art and Language Academy to take appropriate steps in this direction.       

                         State Project Director Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)-cum-State Nodal Officer EBSB Ashish Kohli said that under youth exchange programme, 50 youth of Kerala visited Himachal and 50 youth of our state went to Kerala. He said that 96 meritorious students, 72 teachers and 36-36 NCC and NSS students of Himachal Pradesh would be sent to Kerala this year.

                       Nodal officers of Higher Education, Technical Education, Industry department, HP State Handicraft and Handloom Corporation, Language Art & Culture, Himachal Pradesh Art and Language Academy, Ayurveda, Tourism, I &PR participated in the meeting.

                     State Project Officer Renu presented vote of thanks.