J&K to upgrade 200 schools in tribal areas to provide modern education

The Jammu and Kashmir administration is all set to upgrade 200 schools in tribal areas to establish a strong educational ecosystem for the tribal community, officials said on April 4.

Rs 104 crore is being spent to strengthen school infrastructure in tribal areas and an annual outlay of Rs 30 crore has been earmarked for scholarships of tribal students, the officials from the education department added.

"For providing education on modern lines to tribal children, the government started an ambitious project of transforming 200 schools into smart schools in tribal areas at a cost of Rs 40 crore," a senior official said.

Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha congratulated the tribal communities for the beginning of a new era of their educational empowerment.

"Our priority is to secure the future of tribal children. Smart schools in tribal and remote areas equipped with modern facilities will develop scientific temper in children and make them future-ready, besides checking the drop-out rate," Sinha said after the launch of the initiative.

The government is continuously making efforts to protect the interests of tribal people, including their land, education, and for uplifting their socio-economic status.

Last year, Sinha had handed over individual and community rights certificates to the beneficiaries of Gujjar, Bakarwal and Gaddi Sippi communities under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

The initiative was hailed as a significant step with a potential to transform the lives of members of tribal communities across Jammu and Kashmir.

In areas where community rights have been granted, Rs 10 crore is provided for infrastructure development including works on roads, power supply, anganwadi centres, officials said.