Selco Foundation, an organisation deploying clean energy solutions for alleviating poverty in rural areas, will, in collaboration with Bharathiya Vikas Trust (BVT), establish a world class training centre to promote research and innovation in the fields of agriculture, healthcare and well-being in rural areas in the district.
Addressing presspersons here on Monday, H. Harish Hande, Magsaysay award winner and founder of Selco Foundation, said that the foundation had taken over the administrative control of Bharathiya Vikas Trust, an organisation working to promote education and training in bringing socio-economic changes, especially in rural India.
The partnership aimed at creating a world class innovation and training centre in Manipal which youths not just in the country but also abroad will have access to. This facility would have a close relationship with Manipal University, its medical college and management school here, and also agriculture universities in the State.
In the next couple of years, Selco Foundation would invest at least ₹ 1 crore-₹ 2 crore in developing the infrastructure for this centre. Students of all age groups up to those who are doing Ph.d would be allowed to utilise the resources and services to enhance their knowledge at the centre, coming up on a 3.5-acres of land on BVT campus here.
“We still have 60 crore people who either do not have energy or lack access to energy. This lack of access was responsible for them remaining backward in agriculture, blacksmithy, sewing and other livelihoods. A lot of innovations is required to get the rural poor out of poverty,” Mr. Hande said.
“The youth residing in rural areas in the country do not have a chance to go to a high-class training centre. This training centre will bridge the gap. We want to develop it as a centre of excellence,” he added. Ashok Pai, trustee of BVT, said that BVT would provide all necessary help to the foundation, including assistance from Manipal educational institutions.