The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Rs. 100-crore NABARD aid for high schools

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Rs. 100-crore NABARD aid for high schools

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, DEC. 20. The State has secured a loan of Rs 100 crores from the NABARD to provide buildings and other infrastructure in high schools.

In view of the low female literacy rate in rural areas, priority will be given under the project to girls' schools that lack amenities like classrooms and toilets. The aid will be given under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

The State Government had projected high schools as the focus area for assistance since primary schools are already assured of funds through the Centrally-sponsored district Primary Education Project (DPEP) and Sarva Sikha Abhiyan.

Works from January

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the School Education Minister, N. Rajyalaksmi, said works would begin in January with focus on 290 girls high schools which lacked pucca buildings followed by 1,003 other schools whose buildings needed repairs. The cost of a classroom was estimated at Rs 2.5 lakhs.

Mrs Rajyalakshmi said the objective was to see that that new buildings and facilities were ready before the start of the next academic year. She hoped that the present shift system, the bane of some schools, would end after completion of the works.

The Minister also announced that the Union Government had sanctioned 94 Kasturba Gandhi residential high schools for girls belonging to SC, ST and BCs under its plan to open 750 such institutions in the country to improve female literacy. These would be funded and maintained by the Centre for the first three years.

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