The Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani and Rajasthan’s CM Vasundhara Raje graced the occasion of stone laying ceremony of IIM- Udaipur campus situated at Balicha.

Union Minister said that a special ‘center for tourism hospitality’ will be constructed in the IIM campus here in which students from all over India who are interested in learning hospitality management can enroll themselves.

Keeping the nature of hospitality of Rajasthan in view, this center will also be made as a center for research to learn the world’s best water management techniques, said Union Minister.

While mentioning the ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’- an initiative of the HRD Ministry, Irani said to involve institutions such as IITs and IIMs with communities around them and to adopt villages near it for their upliftment.

The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan involves engaging communities around each institute for its development and upliftment. Under the program, each IIT will identify 10 villages in the neighborhood and work out technologies to solve the most pressing issues of the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said, “Centers of Excellence like IIM should be set-up in different parts of Rajasthan for a bright future of the state’s youth, specially to promote agro-based skills and courses.”

Propagating the ‘Swach Bharat Abhiyan’, Raje said that Udaipur being a hot spot of tourism, the people are aware of the need of cleanliness in the city. The citizens should combine the campaign with health and education as well. She also congratulated the IIM for its new campus and the directors and other delegates present at the occasion.

The chief minister said that due to coming up of an IIM here, Rajasthan will now be included in the list of developed states.