Odisha Launches PM-USHA to Revolutionize Higher Education

The BJP government in Odisha has launched the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) programme in collaboration with the Union Education Ministry. The initiative, which will receive Rs 500 crore in funding, aims to enhance higher education infrastructure and foster skill development, targeting one crore students.

On Saturday, Odisha's BJP government launched the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) programme, marking a significant milestone in the state's higher education sector.

An MoU was signed between the state and Union Education Ministry, witnessed by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan, and state Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. The central government is set to provide Rs 500 crore for infrastructure and developmental activities in higher education institutions across Odisha. Pradhan hailed August 31 as a landmark day for strengthening Odisha's higher education landscape.

Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision behind the National Education Policy, 2020, Pradhan emphasized that PM-USHA would guarantee access, equity, and excellence in the state's higher education system. He noted that 60% of the grants would come from the Centre, and the remaining 40% from the state. This initiative is expected to transform state universities into world-class institutions and equip Odisha's youth with 21st-century skills.

Chief Minister Charan and Minister Pradhan both stressed the objective of upskilling one crore students and transforming Odisha into a beacon of knowledge. Furthermore, the Chief Minister announced that state universities would gain autonomy per the BJP's election manifesto. The PM-USHA scheme aims to revamp curriculum, teachers' training, infrastructure, and employability within the higher education sector, contributing to regional equity and sustainable development goals.

(With inputs from agencies.)