Inaugural ceremony for the Commerce building of Fazl Ali College and the laying of the foundation stone for a new academic building under the PM-USHA scheme held on September 20.
Morung Express News
Mokokchung | September 21
The inaugural ceremony for the Commerce building of Fazl Ali College (FAC) and the laying of the foundation stone for a new academic building under the PM-USHA scheme took place at the college auditorium on Friday.
The event was graced by Nagaland’s Higher Education and Tourism Minister, Temjen Imna Along, as the chief guest, and attended by V Lovitoly Sema, Joint Secretary of Higher and Technical Education and Ex-Officio Director of Higher Education, along with other dignitaries.
Dr I Wati Imchen, Principal of FAC, delivered the welcome address, expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who, in 2014, pledged the construction of the Commerce building at the 66th Ao Students’ conference. Dr Imchen acknowledged the support from the government and various stakeholders, emphasizing that administrative approval to offer a Commerce stream had been secured in July 2023. The course will be available in the upcoming academic session. He also highlighted the prospects of starting master’s programs once the new academic building is completed, stating that additional classrooms would make this expansion possible.
Minister Temjen Imna Along, in his address, applauded FAC for maintaining its legacy as the oldest government college in Nagaland, providing quality education and producing leaders across various sectors. He called the construction of the new academic building a milestone in the college’s journey toward becoming one of Nagaland’s first multidisciplinary government colleges. The minister assured that the new facility would be completed on schedule and constructed by competent people. He also thanked the local landowners for supporting the development, which benefits the people of Nagaland.
The newly inaugurated Commerce building spans 7,068 square feet and houses eight classrooms, along with a Head of Department (HOD) room. Originally budgeted at Rs 2.5 crore, an additional Rs 1.5 crores was secured through Minister Along’s efforts, enabling the building’s completion after its construction started in 2015 and concluded in 2021.
FAC will now be the third government college in the state, alongside Dimapur and Kohima, to offer a commerce stream. The foundation stone for the new academic building was also laid at the event, part of the PM-USHA scheme, which is a centrally sponsored program funded with a 90:10 ratio between the central and state governments.
