Hamirpur: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh's first science college will be opened here at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore and that Rs 20 crore has been released for the project.

Speaking at a prize distribution function at a government college here, the chief minister said 80 kanals (10 acres) of land has been identified for the college.

Sukhu also announced the opening of an allied and healthcare college in Hamirpur. In addition, he said, an AIIMS-level ayurvedic institute spanning 74 acres will be established in the district, a statement issued here said.

In his address, the CM said Hamirpur has been accorded the status of the "education capital" of Himachal Pradesh.

Students from Hamirpur are bringing laurels to the state across the country. Providing quality education to the students is one of the top priorities of the state government and it is working towards this objective through systemic reforms, he added.

According to the statement, the government has opened over 156 CBSE schools to provide quality education closer to rural communities. Following the opening of these schools, student enrolment has increased by 24,000, while Rs 80 crore has been released for the functioning and infrastructure of these schools.

Sukhu said the government is working on a plan to address the shortage of teachers in higher education. At the same time, rationalisation of colleges is also necessary to ensure optimum utilisation of available resources, he said.

He said the government is making continuous efforts to provide employment opportunities to the youth in the public sector, with recruitment examinations being conducted through the State Selection Commission and the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.

The CM claimed that unlike the previous BJP dispensation, not a single recruitment examination paper has been leaked during the tenure of his government.

Sukhu also inaugurated a state-of-the-art SRT Lab, constructed at a cost of Rs 8.64 crore, at the Deputy Director Agriculture Office complex.

He inaugurated a CBT Lab at Hamirpur Degree College, built at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore, and a library equipped with 70 tablets.

In addition, the CM laid the foundation stone of a girls' hostel to be constructed at the college at a cost of Rs 9 crore.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.