Region find place in grouping of central universities

SNS, SILIGURI/ DARJEELING, 10 JUNE 2020: Darjeeling MP Raju Bista today said that the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has approved his proposal to include the region, comprising Darjeeling. Kalimpong. Siliguri and the Terai-Dooars in the 'Consortium of Central Universities in Himalayan States.'

"Our region has suffered due to its non-inclusion in various specialized planning and policy forums initiated by the union governmnt, owing to the lack of interest and apathetic approach of the West Bengal government, towards the unique needs of the Himalayan region in North Bengal." Mr Bista said, adding. "In this context, our Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills, Siliguri Terai and Dooars region had been inadvertently left out of the recently formed 'Consortium of Central Universities in Himalayan Studies,' initiative. This initiative was started to promote more research and studies on critical developmental issues of the Himalayan region."

Mr Bista said he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chairperson of the NITI Aayog, on 23 May, on the matter. According to him, NITI Aayog has now included the region in the Thematic Study Areas approved by them. "I am hopeful that NITI Aayog will recommend a Central University in our region at the earliest." Mr Bista said in a release, adding, "An order has been issued to include our region in the project proposals to be submitted for Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India's Developing Economy (STRIDE) that is the University Grants Commission scheme to fund such researches and also has required reports submitted to NITI Aayog to include the Darjeeling Himalayan Region." he added.

Notably. the Eastern Himalayan region is one of the 32 biodiversity hotspots identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The inclusion of this will allow students, researchers, academicians, and around 75 lakh people of the region to benefit from proper policies, planning and implementation mechanisms under the aegis of NITI Aayog, the Darjeeling MP claimed.

Reacting to the same, prominent academician and leader of the Jan Andolan Party in the Hills, Harka Bah adur Chhetri, said such inclusion of the region in the consortium would hold no meaning until and unless there is a Central University in the region.

"Until and unless there is a Central University in our own region, it is inconsequential and will not have any effect here. Even if such a university is there in Darjeeling, research people will come from outside and the research findings will be implemented by the government of India is a far away thing," Mr Chhetri said.