Imphal: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh Monday flagged off the “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB)” Yuva Sangam tour of the Manipuri students’ team to Nagpur, Maharashtra, from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
Speaking to the young students who are taking part in the tour, the Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a “One India, United India, Strong India” is being encouraged.
Stressing the need for people from other regions to know and understand the people of the North East and vice versa, the Chief Minister said we are facing racial discrimination due to a lack of communication and interaction. This is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is encouraging “Ek Bharat, Shresta Bharat” for a united and strong India, he added.
Manipuris are regarded for our discipline, attitude towards women and children, and culture, the Chief Minister said, before asking the students to maintain the discipline and cleanliness when they go outside the state.
The Chief Minister continued that it is unfortunate that we seem to have created a vacuum in the higher education sector due to disturbances like bandhs, blockades, and strikes in the past. But today we are trying hard to fill the gap by implementing schemes like the school fagathansi, he said, adding that the government is going to start the college fagathansi to identify colleges with lagging teachers, infrastructure, etc.
Biren Singh continued that provision for coaching classes for technical education has also been included this year.
Urging the parents and students to leave behind the mindset of getting education for a government job, the Chief Minister said we have to get education to know the world.
“You are the future, whatever the government is doing is for you,” he told the young students, wishing them all the very best for their future.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, said this is a good opportunity for the young students. He urged the students to project their best behavior, expose the very best of Manipur, and learn the best of the host state during the tour.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using unity in diversity as a powerful force to make a strong India, and he has confidence in the youth in creating a united and strong India.
Manipur Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Singh said it is an important programme taken up to strengthen unity and oneness in the country.
Telling the young students to try and project a positive image of Manipur, the minister said the students should always be the best versions of themselves, be disciplined, show character, and be careful.
A total of thirty Manipuri students representing various districts and institutions and three faculty members from IIIT-Manipur, who will accompany the students, are travelling to Nagpur, Maharashtra, as a first batch on February 20, 2023, and will tour the state of Maharashtra from February 20–26, 2023.
Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)—Manipur is coordinating the programme in association with IIIT-Nagpur. It is a youth exchange programme in which 70 students and 5 faculty members will visit Imphal on February 27, 2023, and tour Manipur from February 27 to March 3, 2023.
