BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched a new scheme 'Mission Suvidya' that will ensure the quality of amenities for scheduled category students residing in hostels of the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste Development department.
"I am very happy to launch Mission Suvidya that aims at bringing qualitative shift in accommodation facilities provided to students in ST-SC hostels. The mission has a maximum laid down the standard for assuring and sustaining quality with an objective to achieve ISO certification," the Chief Minister said.
The ST & SC Development department runs as many as 6500 hostels with over 5.7 lakh students.
Mission Suvidya will provide a congenial atmosphere to all the inmates in a phased manner. It will guarantee quality services in safety and security, health, hygiene and food provisions for the students.
"I believe these complementary provisions will enable the students to focus better on their studies," the CM said and thanked Quality Council of India (QCI) for joining hands with the State in this endeavour.
The department signed three agreements, one with Quality Council of India (QCI), second with Akshara Foundation and the third one with TRIFED.
The QCI will conduct a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of ST-SC hostels leading to quality assurance and quality sustenance with an objective to achieve ISO 9001: 2015 certification for these hostels.
QCI Director General R.P. Singh and Tribal Affairs Director Sachin Yadav signed the agreement.
The second MoU was signed between Akshara Foundation CEO Ashok Kamath and Sachin Yadav. The Foundation will cooperate and collaborate with the Department to improve the learning outcomes of the students.
It has developed specific programmes like School Readiness Programme for Grade 1 students, classroom/ hostel library programme, digital learning solutions and other programmes.
The scope of the programme will cover all schools with primary sections under the purview of the department in a phased manner benefitting more than two lakh students in the first phase.
The third MoU was signed between Amit Bhatnagar of TRIFED and TDCCOL MD Sarat Mohanty to ensure market linkages to various products produced by tribal artisans and tribal entrepreneurs.
The CM launched the logo and unveiled the dashboard of the Suvidya Mission. A short video on the mission was screened.
The CM also released two illustrative booklets on Bathudi and Gandia community.