Around 60 schools in Darjeeling district will be renovated with funds under the Sarva Siksha Mission, said representatives of Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

Among these are some old schools established before Independence and a number of primary schools located in the hills and plains.

“For the GTA area, a sum of Rs 3 crore has been allotted for renovation and repair works of the schools while for the plains, the allocation is Rs 1.12 crore,” said a source in the school education department.

The fund, sources said, would go to 40 schools in the GTA area and another 21 schools in Siliguri sub-division.

“Six schools in Siliguri sub-division will get Rs 15 lakh each for renovation while 15 other schools will get Rs 1.5 lakh for minor repairs,” said Arun Ghosh, the sabhadhipati of the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad.

Prominent institutions to get Rs 15 lakh each include Jyotsnamayee Girls’ High School, set up in 1929, Siliguri Boys’ High School, set up in 1918, and Khoribari High School, set up in 1945. “The fund will be used to renovate buildings, toilet blocks and boundary walls and set up sanitary napkin vending machines where needed,” said a source.