Chandigarh News: Panjab University affiliated BEd colleges to follow uniform fee structure

After the Panjab University affiliated colleges, it is now the turn of the affiliated BEd colleges to adopt a uniform fee structure.

 

The decision will be implemented in both the self-financed and the grant-in-aid BEd courses. A committee to look in to the matter and chalk out the feasibilities has also been formed at the university level. Once the decision is implemented, it is bound to affect about 80 PU-affiliated BEd colleges.

 

Sources in the university maintain that the decision has been taken considering the ever-growing number of students applying for admissions to BEd every year.

 

Talking to Newsline, Vice-Chancellor Professor R C Sobti said: "A committee has been formed to decide on a uniform fee structure for the PU-affiliated colleges offering BEd courses and once they reach a decision, we will implement a uniform fee structure from this academic session onwards. The decision has been taken considering the large number of students seeking admission to the course."

 

The private colleges affiliated to PU had expressed resentment after being asked to follow a uniform fee structure and the same is expected from the BEd colleges too.

 

Talking to Newsline, a teacher of the Government College of Education, Sector 20, said: "The fee structure should be uniform in only those colleges that have BEd as a grant-in-aid course and not in those that have a self-financed course. There are many colleges which are dependent upon the fees from students and the decision regarding a uniform fee structure is bound to attract criticism."

 

Sources revealed that the fee might go up in those colleges where a uniform fee structure is adopted. The fees in unaided BEd colleges range between Rs 35,000 and Rs 45,000 followed by aided colleges where it is around Rs 25,000. The fee in government BEd colleges is Rs 15,000. The decision to implement uniformity in the fee structure might lead to an increase in the fees of aided and government colleges.

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Chandigarh News: Plans afoot to tap renewable sources of energy in city

The Municipal Corporation (MC) is looking at proposals to tap renewable sources of energy in the city. This comes in the wake of the suggestions by UT Administrator General (retd) S F Rodrigues to look into alternative sources of energy keeping in mind the impending energy crisis.

Demonstration of equipment run by solar energy including solar lights and heaters will be held in the coming days. Already, the civic body has installed solar streetlights in different sectors and some government buildings, like UT Guest House and Raj Bhawan. There are proposals to take this a step further and install solar-powered streetlights in parks as well as V-6 roads.

The civic body will also be providing solar-powered lights at the trafficlight points and solar-based blinkers at various rotaries. The proposals will be discussed during the meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee of the MC. Delhi-based Renewable Energy Development Agency will be acting as a nodal agency in the projects. A meeting of the representatives with Municipal Commissioner Dr Roshan Sunkaria was held yesterday.

Dr Sunkaria said: "The MC is taking steps for developing projects which involve tapping the potential of renewable sources of energy. "

A core group of officers from the Administration had also been asked to look at the long-term solutions.

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Chandigarh News: CITCO to shell out Rs 17 crore for makeover of its hotels by Sept 2009

Be it a swanky bar, an elite coffee shop, basement parking and an elegant façade for Hotel Mountview or automatic laundry plants in Hotel Shivalikview and Parkview — the hotels managed by Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) will bear a new look by September 2009.

In the coming 18 months, CITCO plans to renovate the three hotels at a cost of Rs 17 crore. The construction of Hotel Parkview's third floor, which will add 66 rooms making it the city's largest hotel with 170 rooms, is already underway. The project is expected to be completed by October.

The main entry to the city's only 5-star hotel, Mountview, has been closed for six months. CITCO has started renovating the lobby and façade at a cost of Rs 6.8 crore. The work is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Immediately after that, CITCO shall initiate the construction of the basement parking, beneath the hotel's front lawns. A new coffee shop in Hotel Shivalikview is also on the cards and is expected to start by the year end.

A sewage treatment plant, electronic locks in all rooms and renovation of the banquet hall and parking is also planned. Rooms on the fifth floor will also be renovated and the terrace will be upgraded.

"A stepwise agenda has already been prepared, the estimates have been cleared and we hope to stick to the deadlines. To start with, a new bar will be inaugurated at Hotel Mountview on August 10," said a senior CITCO official.

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