Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, today dedicated the UT government’s ambitious project of transforming 200 Schools into Smart Schools in Tribal areas at a cost of Rs 40 crores.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor announced another major decision of the government to provide scholarships to 21,000 children of Gaddi, Sippi, Dard, Sheena communities who were deprived of the same for the last 3 decades.
In his address, the Lt Governor congratulated the Tribal communities and the concerned administrative departments for the historic beginning of the new era of educational empowerment of Tribals in J-K.
“Our priority is to secure the future of tribal children. Smart schools in tribal & remote areas equipped with modern facilities will develop scientific temper in children and make them future ready, besides arresting the drop-out rate”, said LG.
The UT government has formulated a visionary framework for the functioning of the Smart Schools. Members of the Tribal communities, PRI representatives, and the people associated with voluntary organizations will be involved in the management so that these schools could perform the role of ‘changemakers’ in our society, observed the Lt Governor.
“Lives are changed when people connect. Life is changed when everything is connected. Tribal Education Plan, Scholarships, Smart Schools will do justice to tribal communities in J-K who were neglected for decades”, the Lt Governor noted.
These groundbreaking initiatives will also ensure that the members of the tribal communities can keep pace with the revolutionary and rapid changes happening around them and connect themselves to the world, he added.
The Lt Governor expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for awakening the self-confidence of the tribal community.
The Lt Governor highlighted that J-K administration is collectively spending around Rs 104 crore to strengthen school infrastructure in tribal areas and establish a strong educational eco-system for the tribal community. Besides Smart schools, we are also spending Rs 8.50 crore on the modernization of hostels of the Tribal Department and Rs 04 crore will be given for the new hostels being built. In July, the UT administration had decided that two Eklavya Model Schools would be opened in Rajouri, one each in Anantnag, Poonch, Kulgam and Bandipora and Rs 21.25 crore is being given for this. Apart from this, Rs 30 crore is being given for scholarship, he added. (KDC)
