Assam University signs MoU with National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj

way2barak, Nov.1: Assam University Silchar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) an autonomous organization under the Union Ministry of Rural Development to work in collaboration in creating the livelihood and look for utilizing the technology which are relevant for the rural areas of Assam and North East India at large.

On Monday, Dr PK Nath, registrar of the university and Dr M Srikanth, registrar of NIRDPR signed and exchanged the MoU in presence of Prof Rajive Mohan Pant, vice chancellor of the university alongside Mohammad Khan, senior consultant at the NIRDPR and other senior officials and academic staff of the university. Dr G Narendra Kumar, IAS, the Director General of NIRDPR also joined the meeting in the virtual mode and shared his thoughts on the collaboration and how both institutions can help to address the needs of the students of this region.

“The objective behind the MoU is to work together in collaboration in creating livelihood and exploring various technologies relevant for rural areas suitable for Assam and North East. Also, as per the MoU, we shall try and create the ways for apprenticeship and programmes for exchange of knowledge for both the instructions to bring greater benefit to the community. During our visit we could identify many areas on which we can create livelihood for the unemployed youth among the SHGs and farming community as well,” said Mohammad Khan.

Prof Rajive Mohan Pant, vice chancellor said that for a country with 70 percent of population coming from the rural background, NIRDPR, as a think-tank regarding policy formulations working to enhance livelihood. Assam University also has the same mandate to empower people with knowledge (not just theoretical) and hence as per the MoU, efforts will be taken with joint collaboration in developing some courses on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj which has tremendous potential in shaping lives of the people. Also, we would like to see our students coming out with excellent creative ideas shine at the NIRDPR platform which is a part of the MoU. The Rural Technology Park is a wonderful initiative of the NIRDPR in promotion of appropriate technology to create a good livelihood for the rural population. We would also like to come up with a Rural Technology Park at the university which is a part of the MoU, the vice chancellor said. The officials from the NIRDPR were highly impressed with the potential of the varsity with its academic and research activities and expressed great hopes of collaborative efforts towards the objectives.