Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum, Natural Gas & Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written a letter to the Centre seeking establishment of a hostel for minority girls studying in senior classes in schools or in colleges in Bhubaneswar.
In a letter addressed to Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Pradhan urged the latter to set up the facility in the Odisha Capital under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakaram (PMJVK).
According to Pradhan, presently the Ministry of Minority Affairs sanctions projects under the PMJVK only in the identified minority concentration areas where there is more than 25% minority population and the area is relatively backward in socio-economic and basic amenities parameters as compared to the national average.
“I would implore you to consider allowing projects like Girls Hostels, Residential Schools, ITIs and Skill Centres in locations where students/people migrate to in search of better facilities for education, skill, health facilities like State Capitals and other Metropolitan cities,” the Union Minister stated in the letter.
“I request you to instruct expeditious action for making provisions to cover major cities as well as State Capitals under the PMJVK scheme, so that infrastructure support in priority sectors, such as Education, Health, Skill, Women Empowerment, can be made available in these cities as well,” he added.