Chhattisgarh: Govt to allow private colleges in remote areas on PPP mode

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday has decided to run private colleges in the backward and inaccessible areas on the PPP model based on a decision, recently taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, with an objective to provide higher education facilities in the backward and remote areas. Presently, none of the existing private colleges is operating under the arrangement provisioned in this scheme.
PPP model in Chhattisgarh is an innovative step for the state, as no such scheme has been implemented in the past. As per a government release, 12 private colleges in the state are being provided with 100% regular grant under the Madhya Pradesh Private Colleges and Institutions (Establishment and Regulation) Act. After the formation of Chhattisgarh state, 50 percent grant is being provided to four private colleges under the Chhattisgarh non-government colleges and institutions (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2006, post the approval of the cabinet.
So far, the grant is only given to those private colleges that have been operating for atleast 10 years but under the proposed PPP model, this arrangement will be given to private colleges right from the beginning
Besides, once in three years ad-hoc grant can be given for purchase of building extension, furniture, equipment up to a maximum of Rs five lakh which is sanctioned on the basis of the application.PPP model has been proposed for implementation in this scenario to overcome the challenges in the most backward and remote areas and to ensure the all-round development of higher education in such areas.
Government will provide minimum of 10 acres of land on a 30-year lease at a concessional rate of 50 percent. The land should not be used for other purposes.
At the end of the lease term, the lease can be extended with the consent of both the parties. The government will pay 50 percent of the interest amount on the maximum loan of Rs 500 crore taken for infrastructure construction. The students studying in all the courses will be provided scholarship due by the state government, the release said.
This scheme would make quality higher education easily accessible for youth of backward and extremely backward areas of the state.