Chandigarh, January 17:
To strengthen the infrastructure and take new initiatives to provide quality education to the students of the state in Government Schools, On the instructions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the action plan of SAMAGRA Sikhya Abhiyan Authority was approved for the next two academic sessions.
In a meeting of the executive committee of the authority under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Mr. Anurag Verma, the action plan approved in principle for two years includes strengthening the infrastructure of Government Schools, boosting commerce and science education, environmental initiatives, Free uniforms and books, libraries and sports being given priority.
Divulging the details of the meeting, Chief Secretary Mr. Verma said that education is the top priority of the State Government. On the instructions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, revolutionary reforms are being carried out in Government Schools. He said that in the next two academic sessions, commerce is being started in 35 schools and science in 10 schools, the list of which will be finalised by the Chief Minister. Similarly, 1096 new classrooms at a cost of Rs. 92.70 Crore and the renovation of 360 classrooms at Rs. 14.85 Crore are proposed in the next two years.
The Chief Secretary further informed that 2623 toilets for girls will be repaired at a cost of Rs.18.35 Crore and 215 toilets will be constructed for girls at a cost of Rs.2.72 Crore. Also, 876 toilets will be constructed for children with special needs at a cost of Rs.17.52 Crore and solar panel will be installed too. To give a boost, an action plan has been made to install 2190 solar panels at the cost of Rs. 29.58 Crore.
Giving more information, Mr. Verma said that in the next two years, Rs. 182.06 Crore has been proposed to be spent on giving free uniforms to 30 lakh students and Rs. 44.86 Crore to give free books to 14 lakh students. Similarly, an action plan of Rs. 32.91 Crore for Libraries and Rs. 20.90 Crore for Sports and Physical Education, Rs. 18.66 Crore for Rani Lakshmi Bai self-defence and Rs. 1.47 Crore for the education of adolescent girls has been made for the next two years.
Similarly, all 19,120 Government Schools will be provided internet facility in a phased manner to boost digital education and strengthen the Eduset system while presiding over the meeting of the Board of Governors of PICTES. In this regard, the MoU has been signed with BSNL. The Chief Secretary said that 6300 Government Schools will be provided with internet in the first phase.
Apart from this, the action plan was also approved for boys’ toilets, rainwater harvesting, Science lab, Art Craft room, Library room, Transport, in service teacher training and ICT.
The meeting was attended by Special Chief Secretary Social Security and Women and Child Development Raji P Srivastava, Principal Secretary Employment Generation Jaspreet Talwar, Principal Secretary Finance AK Sinha, Secretary Education Kamal Kishor Yadav, Secretary Planning Amit Dhaka, Director General School Education Vinay Bublani, Director Rural Development and Panchayat Kanwalpreet Kaur.
