Manipal: SELCO Foundation, an organization deploying clean energy solutions for alleviating poverty in rural areas, in partnership with Bharathiya Vikas Trust plans to establish a world-class training centre at Manipal.
Addressing media persons at BVT campus here on Monday, June 11, Dr. Harish Hande, CEO, SELCO Foundation said that SELCO has taken over the administrative control of Bharathiya Vikas Trust, an organization working to promote education and training in bringing social-economic changes, especially in rural India. The partnership plans to create a world-class innovation and training centre in Manipal which will have access not only to youngsters across the country but also across the world.
This facility will have a very close relationship with Manipal University, the Medical college, Management school and related agriculture universities in the State. The SELCO foundation will invest at least one to two crores in developing the infrastructure to make it happen within the next couple of years. Students of all ages, starting from kindergarten to people who are doing Ph.D. are welcome to utilize the resources and services to enhance their knowledge.
He said that as a country, we are looking at sustainable energy. We still have 60 crore population who either do not have the energy or lack access to energy. Because they lack access to energy, their livelihoods are more dependent on agriculture, regular blacksmith jobs or tailoring jobs and hence they find it difficult to come out of poverty. But for that, a lot of innovations need to be done. The youngsters across the country and the world residing in rural areas do not have a chance to actually go to a high-class training centre. The training centre ensures that this gap is bridged, Harish Hande said.
A memorandum of understanding was exchanged by Dr. Harish Hande and Ashok Pai during the occasion in regard to the development of various projects.
Ashok Pai, one of the trustee of BVT said, “We are happy to extend utmost support to SELCO in building the BVT, if needed additional space will be provided by us in order to provide employment to the unemployed youths through electricity.”
K M Udupa, Managing trustee of BVT was present.
