Lt. Shri S.J.Ashar Program Series
Lt. Shri S.J.Ashar Program Series is a social-education program designed to study and contribute to Rajkot city development.
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The program focuses on various subjects like Water Management, Solid Waste Management (SWM), Urban Transport, and Smart City. We don't expect any direct funding support, expecting RMC and people's support and guidance limited to the students' education and improving citizen awareness. There are no fees for the students.
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In 2023-2024, the third instance of the series will be conducted as follows:
Program Series 3
To view photographs, click here
The series 3.0 shall start on 15-9-2023 and end on 12-1-2024.
The program focuses on various subjects like Water Management, Solid Waste Management (SWM), Urban Transport, and Smart City. Three workshops shall be organised where the people of Rajkot, government officials, and stakeholders shall participate, discuss Rajkot City Development issues and Solutions and give their feedback in digital form or physical on paper where the students and faculties shall assist them. The feedback form is available on this website. The students shall do data analysis, study it, do a field visit, and prepare the study report under the guidance of the faculties and a few experts invited.
The experts shall teach the students about urban development. Two field visits for technical studies on Rajkot Smart City, BRTS, Control Room, WTP, STP, etc. shall be arranged for practical knowledge with the help of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC). At the end of the study, the students prepare reports and present them in public during the valedictory function.
This time, we shall have 75 final-year students and 10 faculties of engineering and architecture colleges of Rajkot. We shall arrange a few training sessions to understand the critical issues and development needs of the city, and highly qualified experts shall share their knowledge and experience. It shall help to build the capacity, provided free of cost to the students and RMC officials. Prof. Chetan Vaidya, Director (rtd.) SPA and NIUA- GoI apex urban agency, New Delhi, and current Director, GIFT City, Gandhinagar agreed to guide the workshops and program.
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The Keshav Varma High-Level Committee, GoI report encourages a participatory approach and insists on the need for institutional capacity building. We see there are good opportunities for Rajkot to have a Centre of Excellence, Aji Riverfront Development, PPP projects, and a City Economic Development Plan which can help Rajkot city to continue growth and make it a better city having socio-economic-environmental sustainability.
The inaugural function shall be organised on Engineer's Day 15-9-2023 at ATMIYA University where many students and professionals participated. A presentation on Sir M. Visvesvaraya's biography was done and dignitaries shared their views on the occasion.
We invite Spiritual Leaders, dignitaries, and subject experts for the Inaugural and Valedictory functions to address the August gathering.
We shall arrange three workshops where the people of Rajkot, government officials, and stakeholders shall participate, discuss Rajkot City Development issues and Solutions and give their feedback in digital format or physical on paper to all where the students and faculties shall assist them. The feedback form is available on this website.
Program Schedule is as follows:
15 September, 2023
9.30 to 11.30am
Atmiya University
Inaugural Function (Engineer's Day - Sir M Vishveshwarya's Birthday)
15 September, 2023
11.30am to 1.30pm
Atmiya University
Workshop 1
20 October, 2023
11am to 5pm
IPSA
Workshop 2
21 October, 2023
3pm to 5pm
VVP University / Online
Expert Session 1
24 November, 2023
11am to 5pm
IPSA
Workshop 3
25 November, 2023
3pm to 5pm
Marwadi University / Online
Expert Session 2
Date: To be determined
RMC Support
Program Coordinator from participating colleges to lead the students
Field Visits
22 December, 2023
11am to 5pm
IPSA
Workshop Summary
23 December, 2023
3 to 5pm
Government Engg College / Online
Expert Session 3
31 December, 2023
5pm
Program Coordinator to receive submissions from students and faculty.
Draft Reports Submission - Online
6 January, 2024
5pm
Program Coordinator to receive submissions from students and faculty.
Draft Presentation Submission - Online
12 January, 2024
11am to 2pm
Atmiya University
Valedictory Function (National Youth Day - Swami Shri Vivekananda Jayanti)
Workshop Objectives:
(1) To study infrastructure arrangement, and issues, and find effective solutions for sustainable development through a participatory approach. Infrastructure shall cover - water, transport, and public spaces.
(2) To study town planning, bylaws, and issues. Finding effective solutions to make the city green, clean, and livable.
We shall arrange three workshops focused on Rajkot City Development; first in the 1st week of October, second around the 15th of November, and third around 25 December 2023.
12th January will be the end of the program with the Valedictory function.
Workshop Conduct:
We will invite RMC, RUDA, and Government officials to join the workshops. Industrial associations, practicing consultants, academia, NGOs, and citizens shall be invited in batches during the workshop day.
Three Teaching sessions: Next day of the workshop a teaching session shall be arranged. The experts shall teach the students about the issues and solutions supporting the urban development process.
Two field visits for technical studies on Rajkot Smart City, BRTS, Control Room, WTP, STP, etc. shall be arranged for practical knowledge with the help of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC).
The students shall do data analysis, study it, do a field visit, and prepare the study report under the guidance of the faculties and a few experts invited. At the end of the study, the students prepare reports and present them in public during the valedictory function.
Valedictory function around four renowned engineers and architects shall be felicitated during the Valedictory function, for their illustrious and preeminent contributions which will help us to establish technical values, the role of technocrats in social development, and inspiration to the students and practicing professionals, to be held on National Youth Day Swami Shri Vivekananda Jayanti. Everyone appreciated last year’s program and your video message widely circulated. Many students and people found it inspiring and useful. We are grateful for the same.
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Mementos and Certificates shall be issued to honor the participants.
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We hope that the student and faculty shall learn and enjoy the program participation and remain useful in their career.
At the end of the SJA Program 3.0, we shall submit a report to RMC. Hope, it will be useful to RMC, the people of Rajkot, and the Government of Gujarat.
Looking forward to the great success of the program, together.