The CM said following the ideals and principles of Sir Chhotu Ram, the state government had accorded top priority to the provision of quality education. "The number of seats in technical and engineering institutes has been increased from 23,000 to 53,000 during the past three years and these would be increased up to one lakh in the next two years," he maintained.

Hooda announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh from his discretionary fund for educational institutions of the society.

Earlier, the president of the society, Dharambir Hooda, welcomed the Chief Minister and sought his help for setting up an engineering college in the name of CM's grandfather Matu Ram. Later, Hooda laid the foundation stones of a trauma centre, mother and child hospital and a new wing of dental college on the local PGIMS campus.

The PGIMS Director, Prof S.S. Sangwan, revealed that the trauma centre, with a provision of 200 beds, would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 25.88 crore. It is part of the expansion of existing accidental and emergency services being provided in PGIMS.

The mother and child hospital, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 11.48 crore, is being opened to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.

The dental college principal, Prof Sajnay Tewari, said the new four-storey building of the college, involving a cost of Rs 5.39 crore, would be raised on 51,528 sq ft area. This expansion would also provide avenues to increase number of seats for starting new courses.