Amid uncertainty over the reopening of schools due to coronavirus pandemic, Jammu and Kashmir has decided to spend over Rs 350 crore for improvement of infrastructure and purchase of textbooks and uniforms for children in government schools across the Union Territory.
According to official sources, the UT Administration would provide about Rs 100 crore to the IT Department and the Science and Technology Department for establishing 224 Information Communication Technology (ICT) Labs and solar power plants in schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
There are at least 23,747 government schools in Jammu and Kashmir, including 12,252 in Kashmir division and 11,495 in Jammu province.
“The Administration has planned to spend Rs 158.19 crore, including Rs 100 crore in Kashmir and Rs 58.19 crore in Jammu division, on construction (civil works) activities while an amount of Rs 49.51 crore would be spent on the uniform, including Rs 20.66 crore in Kashmir and Rs 28.85 crore in schools across Jammu region,” said an official source.
The UT Administration has earmarked Rs 18.64 crore for sports and physical education of young children while Rs 20.31 crore would be spent on the purchase of textbooks.
“The funds being released this year will be spent under a close vigil with visible action on the ground, without delays,” said Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary, School Education Department.
Notably, the School Education Department has distributed 12 lakh Student Health Cards across government schools “to ensure better healthcare for schoolchildren and facilitate their all-round development” amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The initiative, launched by the former Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Girish Chandra Murmu, on March 5, was completed under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).
The UT Administration has also announced to open 276 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBVs) and residential schools for the benefit of 15,000 girl students from disadvantaged sections of society in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to officials, nearly 21,000 children with special needs were being facilitated by the Administration through inclusive education initiatives. -TNS
