Assam to revamp 252 government schools for over Rs 1,800 crore

GUWAHATI: Aiming to revamp the infrastructure of prominent rural schools, the Assam government is developing new buildings for 252 such state-run educational facilities at an expenditure of over Rs 1,800 crore, officials said. Director of Secondary Education, Mamata Hojai, told PTI that the 252 government vernacular schools have been selected from each of the 126 assembly constituencies as per budget announcements last year.

"We are upgrading the infrastructure of these schools as part of a project under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). The selection of the schools is done according to suggestions of the respective MLAs," she said. The construction work in most of the schools has begun and will be complete by next year, Hojai said. Asked about the expenditure, she said: "The construction cost for each school will be Rs 7 crore to Rs 8 crore. The total outlay is of Rs 1,827 crore."

In the 2024-25 budget, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog had announced an initiative to improve the infrastructure of government schools across the state. "Our government would transform 322 schools in the state with a total outlay of Rs 2,369.86 crore," she had said while tabling the budget last year. Hojai, however, declined to share details on whether these schools will remain as vernacular mediums or will upgrade to dual medium with the addition of English, after the revamp. "The government will take a decision in due course of time," she said.

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Some of the prominent schools covered under this scheme include the Patacharkuchi Vidyapith in Bajali, Earle HS School in Cachar, Graham Bazar Girls' High School in Dibrugarh, Maibong Sr Secondary School in Dima Hasao, Devicharan Barua Girls' High School in Jorhat, Natun Fatasil Town High School in Guwahati and Nalbari Girls' High School.