Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 7 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government is contemplating introducing a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) course immediately after the 12th standard.

He was speaking at an annual prize distribution ceremony of St Bede's College, Shimla on Thursday.

He emphasised the importance of preparing students for future challenges and said that the state government has introduced several new-age courses, such as AI and Data Storage, to equip youth with future-ready skills.

The CM also announced Rs 5 lakh for outstanding college students and reiterated the government's commitment to women's empowerment. He highlighted that Himachal Pradesh is the first state in India to increase the marriage age of girls to 21 years, according to an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

Expressing concern over the menace of drug abuse, he said that the government has launched an anti-drug campaign in the state and will take even stronger measures in the future to curb this evil.

He assured that the government was making every possible effort to protect the youth from falling into drug addiction and is promoting sports activities among the youth in the State. The government has increased prize money for international competitions and raised the diet money for players, he added.

Sukhu said, 'Previously, Under-17 and Under-19 players received a diet money of Rs 150 for State-level competitions and Rs 250 for National-level competitions. The present government has increased these amounts to Rs 400 and Rs 500, respectively. Similarly, for under-14 players, the diet money for state-level competitions has been raised from Rs 120 to Rs 250, and for national-level events, from Rs 250 to Rs 400. Additionally, players travelling for competitions outside the state will be provided AC three-tier rail fare facility for distances up to 200 km and economy-class airfare for distances beyond 200 km.'

Focusing on education and health reforms, the Chief Minister said that the government has introduced significant changes in these sectors in the state. For the first time, government school students were sent on exposure visits to Singapore and Cambodia, and teachers were sent abroad to learn modern teaching methodologies.

He said that to enhance educational infrastructure, the government is establishing Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools in every assembly constituency of the state in a phased manner, which will focus on both the academics and personality development of the students, along with providing nutritious meals. Structural reforms are also underway to improve the functioning of education directorates, he said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that due to the wrong policies of the previous government, Himachal Pradesh had slipped to the 21st position in the country in terms of education quality. However, the current government's efforts have led to significant improvements, he remarked.

On healthcare sector, the Chief Minister said that the state government has allocated Rs 1,800 crore to modernize medical colleges and hospitals of the state with advanced technology and state-of-the-art machinery. He said that outdated equipment often hinders timely diagnosis and treatment, but the present government is committed to upgrading the healthcare system.

Recalling his student days, he shared, 'I visited St. Bede's College 40 years ago to participate in a debate competition. It is a prestigious institution that has maintained its reputation over the years. My political journey began at the age of 17 years when I was elected as a Class Representative at Government College, Sanjauli. This early experience paved the way for my election as a Municipal Councilor and later as an MLA.'

Addressing climate change, he described it as one of the biggest challenges of the present era. He said that Himachal Pradesh faced severe natural calamities in 2023, affecting 23,000 families. Emphasizing the need to preserve the state's rich cultural and natural heritage, he reiterated the government's vision to make Himachal a Green Energy State.

The Chief Minister also felicitated meritorious students at the event. (ANI)