NIT Srinagar organizes orientation workshop on Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

Need to bridge the gap between rural, Urban populations: Prof. Bukhari

Srinagar, June 07: A daylong orientation workshop on Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) was organized on Tuesday by Regional Coordinating Institute (RCI), National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar in collaboration with National Coordinating Institute (NCI), IIT Delhi.

The workshop was presided over by Registrar NIT Srinagar, Prof. Syed Kaiser Bukhari who was Chief Guest on the occasion.

While inaugurating the workshop, Prof. Bukhari briefed about UBA’s mission and vision. He emphasized the role of UBA in bridging the gap between the rural people of India and educational institutions.

“The vision of UBA is to bring transformational change in rural development processes by leveraging knowledge institutions to help build the architecture of an Inclusive India,” he said.

Prof. Bukhari said over the past few years, NIT Srinagar has adopted five villages in the valley. We will continue to bridge the gap between rural and urban societies, he said.

“At campus, we have also developed State-of-the-art facilities for the research facilities and will continue to expand our activities in future,” Prof. Bukhari said.

The NIT Registrar said around 70% of the population in India lives in rural areas engaged in the agrarian economy with agriculture and allied sector employing 51% of the total workforce but accounting for only 17% of the country’s GDP.

“There are huge developmental disconnects between the rural and urban sectors such as inequity in health, education, incomes, and basic amenities as well as employment opportunities – all causing great discontent and large-scale migration to urban areas,” Prof. Bukhari said.

On the occasion, Prof M F Wani, Regional Coordinator informed PI coordinators about the aim of the UBA program and discussed the action plan to initiate the UBA activities in the adopted villages.

He said the program also aims to create a virtuous cycle between the societies. It is a vibrant system where they are being provided knowledge and practice for emerging professions and to upgrade the capabilities of both the public and the private sectors, Prof. Wani said.

The progress report of RCI NIT Srinagar was presented in the workshop for the encouragement of the participants. The expert team of UBA National Coordinating Institute (NCI), IIT Delhi took the workshop ahead by connecting through virtual mode.

Dr. Lakhan Singh, RCI NIRDPR delivered an online talk on ‘Funding and Convergence Possibilities’, different center and state schemes and programs, and CSR support that can be leveraged for UBA.

Mr. Rahul Choudhary and Ms. Divya from NCI, IIT Delhi demonstrated an orientation session about the submission Subject Expert Group (SEG) proposal on the web portal.

Earlier, Dr. Tanveer Rasool, Committee Member, UBA for RCI-NIT Srinagar in his welcome address briefed about the activities of UBA in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir to all PI coordinators.

The workshop officially ended with participants’ feedback about the sessions. Prof Wani and other dignitaries facilitated the participants with certificates.