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Defence Minister praises TN for giving priority to education
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised Tamil Nadu for giving priority to education, particularly to the girl child, and the manner in which the sector has evolved over the years in the state.
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Coimbatore
Delivering the convocation address at Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Sitharaman said it was noteworthy how the education sector has evolved, especially through philanthropy, in Tamil Nadu.
The Union minister said the University Grants Commission (UGC) should ensure that "no capitation fee" becomes the norm.
She asked UGC Joint Secretary and Chief Vigilance Officer Dr Arcana Thakur, who was present at the convocation, to use her good offices to convey the message for the benefit of the institute, which does not want to take capitation fee.
"Capitation fee cannot be a subject of exception. It should be a norm. No capitation fee should be the norm," she told Thakur.
Higher regulatory institutions should be worried about the quality of education imparted and it can exempt the capitation fee if an institution comes forward, she said.
Importantly, if UGC comes up with rules and set of norms in the broader interest of promoting education, it should also adopt certain flexibilities with regard to some exceptional institutions and universities, she said.
Sitharaman was conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters at the convocation.
Defence innovation hub in Kovai: Nirmala
A Defence Innovation Centre would be set up here by industry body CODISSIA to assist small industries in manufacturing components for the defence sector, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday.
The Defence Ministry would release Rs 20 crore as an initial funding to the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) to set up the innovation centre, she told reporters here after discussions with the association office-bearers.
“Ministry of Defence has recognised CODISSIA as an innovation centre required for defence production,” she said adding the association had earlier submitted a proposal in this regard.
Sitharaman said small and micro units as well as startups, that can manufacture components required for the defence production, would be identified by the association. “They can design or test their products at the centre,” she said adding the association had earlier submitted a proposal in this regard.
The Minister said the decision to set up the innovation centre was taken in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” programme and his dream of making India a defence manufacturing hub.
Defence ministry had identified many micro, small and medium enterprises, which can meet the huge requirements of the sector, she said, adding that being an industrial hub Coimbatore had the potential to supply components to Defence production.
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