Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said the state’s labour department will start work on opening schools for poor children across 24 districts from next year.

Soren, addressing a government function in Dhanbad district, also said that the number of model schools in Jharkhand would increase to 5,000 from 80 at present, so that poor children could compete with students of private schools.

At the event, the chief minister distributed offer letters to around 36,996 youths, who were recruited in various national and multi-national companies.

Soren also credited travel and unemployment allowance to the accounts of the youths, who are undergoing training under block-level institutes for skill acquisition.

Besides, he unveiled 217 projects worth around Rs 178.12 crore for Dhanbad district.

“Youths get their education from different schools before getting employment through the labour department. But, now ‘Shram Awasiya Vidyalayas’ (residential schools of the department) will be opened across 24 districts. Poor children will get to study there for free. We will start working on the project next year,” Soren said.

Addressing the youths who received appointment letters, the chief minister said: “You all have been trained in government training centres of the labour department, and you got jobs as per your skills. But, your race shouldn’t stop here. You can brighten your future further. It depends on you and your goals.”

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