MANGALORE: The district implementation committee of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan on Thursday decided to ensure that all government schools in Dakshina Kannada were electrified by the end of the new academic year.

The meeting resolved to empower block education officers to shift excess desks and benches from schools that had them in excess to institutions where there was a shortage.

B. Nagaraj Shetty, district in-charge Minister, who presided over the meeting, took cognisance of concerns raised by members of the committee over shortage of benches and desks in some government schools.

The Centre was providing funds for the construction of classrooms.

It was not proper to make students to sit on the floor or put too many of them on a single bench, he said.

He directed the block education officers to identify schools where there were excess benches and desks and shift them to institutions where there was a shortage. Deputy Director of Public Instruction Philomena Lobo said that the department had earmarked Rs. 9 lakh for procurement of benches and desks during this academic year.

However, it could be provided to schools only after an action plan was prepared and tenders were invited for procurement. The process might take six months.

Mr. Shetty, however, said that there was no question of making students suffer for procedural reasons.

"The department has received Rs. 2.5 lakh for the purpose under a new government scheme of allocating funds,'' she added.

A.M. Kunjappa, Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat, said that the panchayat would receive next quarter of funds earmarked for the purpose during June. It was possible to meet the urgent requirement for benches and desks.

The Minister directed Ms. Lobo to ensure that the furniture requirements of government schools in the district were met by July end.

Taking note of the fact that 161 government schools in Dakshina Kannada still had no power supply, Mr. Shetty instructed the officials to utilise Rs. 8.05 lakh earmarked for the purpose.

He also directed the officials to take steps to ensure that all schools in the district had proper sanitation facilities.

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