Contribute to rebuild Kerala: AICTE tells institutes

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has asked all engineering colleges and other technical institutes to contribute to “rebuilding” flood-hit Kerala.

The technical education regulator has asked the institutions to make “voluntary contributions” towards the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. It has also requested the institutions to come forward “for rendering assistance in kind” in the state under the 'Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan'.

Under the central government scheme, institutions engage a group of students along with at least two of their faculty members in studying the implementation of the government schemes and facilitating their proper implementation “as per local needs.”

The student groups, formed under the programme, are also responsible for providing cheap and affordable technical solutions to various problems, ranging from health, sanitation, education and irrigation, to improve the quality of life in rural India.

“It was the most severe deluge in the history of Kerala where a total of 14 districts suffered heavy damage leaving 392 people dead and over 26,000 homeless,” AICTE chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe noted in a recent communication to all technical institutes.

While more than 14 lakh people belonging to 4 lakh families are still housed in 4000-odd relief camps, the impact of the flood on the state's economy, especially in agriculture and commercial sectors, is huge.

Infrastructure like roads, bridges, houses and other buildings have been completely or partially destroyed, Sahasrabudhe also noted.

“All the Council's approved institutions are hereby requested to initiate the best possible services sparing no efforts so that rebuilding of infrastructure and rehabilitation of those devastated is successfully addressed. A contribution to support for rehabilitation of people in the catastrophic disaster in the state of Kerala is really valued,” Sahasrabudhe said.

The Council will “reward” the institutions, faculty members and student volunteers who actively take part in those activities. “A certificate of appreciation will also be given to them,” the AICTE chairman said.