Latest news with #Nabard
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Maharaja's College @150: Time to reclaim the 'regal' glory
Highs & lows There was a time when the campus was celebrated for its excellence in every sphere. 'It was a campus where healthy socio-political dialogues happened,' recalls Yusuf K A, former registrar of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady. 'Political differences used to be settled through fierce dialogues and discussions. I remember after arriving on the campus as a young student, we felt as if being beckoned by the positive energy left behind by the stalwarts who had walked the soil before us.' Former Nabard chief general manager C P Mohan, who studied at the college from 1972 to 1975, believes he was 'fortunate' to have experienced its 'golden era'. 'Those days, it was every student's dream to study at Maharaja's. Those were the times when several literary doyens visited the campus for kavi arangus (poetry sessions) and street plays. Academics, literature, arts and culture thrived. It helped build a living society.' Prasanna K, former principal of Manimalakunnu Government College, who studied at Maharaja's for 7 years and later taught economics there for 12 years, gushes similar views. 'The years that I spent at the college as a student and then as a teacher were the best,' she says. 'I saw raw talents blossom. They got honed and polished. The campus was not all about academic excellence, but making a better person out of the students through positive interaction among the peers.' However, over time, the campus lost some of its sheen. Instead of headlines celebrating the college's achievements — including high ranks in the National Institutional Ranking Framework — stories of campus violence and administrative mismanagement began to dominate the media. 'Sad but true,' says Prasanna. To reclaim the glory, she suggests involving former teachers as mentors. 'I am not a big fan of politics. But that being said, it is always good for the students to have political awareness. All political parties should come together for the good of the institution and welfare of students,' she adds. Today, many students appear more involved in furthering the interests of their political parties. Studies should not take the backseat. This applies to all colleges.' Mohan believes this is all part of a cycle. 'As times change, it brings with it a lot of changes. And when changes happen, we can say that degradation also happens along with,' he says. 'Changes are cyclic. It is just a wave. This one, too, will pass. And the onus for it lies on the government and the authorities concerned.' According to Yusuf, political strife existed in the past as well. 'However, today, with the advent of social media, instead of the positive things happening on the campus, all the negatives are being highlighted,' he says. 'Also, you must note that, earlier, the cream of the crop used to seek admission to Maharaja's. Now, students have more options to choose from – institutions with much better infrastructure and placement opportunities.' Filmmaker Amal Neerad, an alumnus, slams the government: 'How can an institution not undergo degradation when nothing is being done for its betterment?' he fumes. He is particularly upset about parts of the campus being 'chopped' and allocated for other development projects. Censuring the neglect, he adds: 'This is a campus that has the potential to become the Harvard of Kerala or India.'
Time of India
07-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kodaikanal village to get road after four centuries
Dindigul: It was a historic moment for Vellakavi villagers in the Kodaikanal hills as their village was finally set to be connected with a road. On Wednesday, Palani MLA I P Senthilkumar and Dindigul collector S Saravanan laid the foundation stone for the Rs22 crore road work at Vattakanal, eight kilometres from the village. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Vellakavi, with a population of 350 people, has existed for over 400 years without a road. The nearest road at Vattakanal could only be reached through trekking. Villagers turned emotional when the groundbreaking ceremony for the road was held . The villagers carry their farm produce on their shoulders or on ponies and have to undertake the eight-kilometre trek to Vattakanal for all their needs. Things become difficult when someone falls sick as they have to be carried on dollies to Vattakanal, from where they can take a vehicle or ambulance. Finally, the state govt has taken up the road construction from Vattakanal to Vellakavi with the help of Nabard. In the first phase, it will be laid for three kilometre from Vattakanal, while administrative sanction will be sought for the next three kilometres this year, said the district collector. On the civil supplies minister's instruction, PDS items are delivered at the doorsteps of Vellakavi people since last month. The collector said they are making efforts to redress the problems of hill villages on the orders of the chief minister. Addressing the villagers, Senthilkumar, MLA, said they also laid the foundation stone for a Rs10 crore road project from Koppaikadu to Sembirankulam in Vadakavunji panchayat. Vadakavunji has been provided with a three-phase electrical supply.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Andhra Pradesh government allocates ₹400 crore for development of rural roads
1 2 Vijayawada: Roads and buildings minister, BC Janardhan Reddy , has announced that the state govt is committed to restoring all roads in the state. He said that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed all concerned departments to prioritize the repair of rural roads. To achieve this goal, the govt has allocated ₹400 crore through the rural infrastructure development fund (RIDF) from Nabard. Speaking to the media on Thursday, the minister said that 192 road works will be undertaken to develop 1,246 km of major district roads under this initiative. A specific plan is in place to prioritize and develop roads that were severely damaged during the previous YSRCP regime. Minister Janardhan Reddy emphasized that despite financial challenges, the govt has repaired approximately 20,000 km of roads to make them pothole-free, spending close to ₹861 crore. Additionally, state highways and major district roads are being developed under the 'C' category with ₹600 crore, he said. The minister criticized the previous YSRCP regime for not taking timely repairs, which led to the closure of several thousand roadside eateries due to poor patronage. The current govt aims to provide better roads to rural communities, and funds have been allocated under the Nabard scheme for this purpose. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Recently, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu directed the expedited payment of bills for contractors who completed pothole-free road works in the last 10 months. Accordingly, ₹100 crore has been released for this purpose. The minister assured that bills for pothole-free works will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The minister said that the coalition govt is working with a strong resolve to provide better roads to the people of the state. He promised that all roads across the state will be further improved in the next four years.
