Patna: CM Samrat Choudhary on Saturday urged the Centre to establish at least two Banaras Hindu University (BHU) centres in Bihar, saying the move would expand higher education opportunities for students and strengthen academic activity in the state.He made the request to Union education minister Pralhad Joshi during a review meeting at Samvad Hall in the chief minister’s secretariat in Patna, where issues concerning the quality of higher and school education and infrastructure in educational institutions were discussed. The meeting was jointly chaired by Samrat and Joshi.Samrat sought Rs 5,275 crore from the Centre for infrastructure development in 211 newly opened govt degree colleges in Bihar, calculated at Rs 25 crore per college. He said the funds were needed to provide essential facilities at these institutions.The CM also pressed for action on the re-establishment of Vikramshila University near Bhagalpur, noting that 220 acres of land had been transferred to the university on July 15 this year. He urged the Union govt to take the next steps at the earliest.Samrat also requested the opening of more Kendriya Vidyalayas in Bihar. He said additional central schools would give students better access to quality education and help expand educational facilities across the state.Reviewing education projects, Samrat and Joshi emphasised time-bound implementation and improved access to educational facilities. Officials from the Centre and state govts made presentations on schemes and their implementation.Anand Rao B Patil, additional secretary, higher education, govt of India; Archana Sharma Awasthi, additional secretary, department of school education and literacy, govt of India; and Amarjeet Duggal of the same department briefed the meeting on centrally sponsored schemes. Rajiv Roushan, secretary, education and higher education department, govt of Bihar, presented details of scheme implementation and state govt initiatives.Earlier in the day, Samrat and Joshi inaugurated the state-level prize distribution ceremony for Seva Chitra and speech competitions, organised by the education department at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna. Held under the Seva Hi Sankalp campaign, the competitions drew participation from students of 95,195 govt and private schools across 38 districts. Samrat congratulated the students and extended his good wishes to them.
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