Punjab Budget: Free school education till Class 12

NEW DELHI: The government of Punjab allocated Rs 12, 488 crore from the total outlay of the state budget to education on Friday.

In his speech, Manpreet Singh Badal, the finance minister, said: “It is 23 percent higher than the budgetary allocations for this sector in the year 2016-17.”

Last year the budget for education was 11.4 percent which according to PRS Legislative research was lower than the national average.

The minister also announced that education till Class 12 will be provided free in all state government schools. Presently, the government gives free education to all students up to Class 8, and to girls up to Class 12. Badal called it an “endeavour to educate all” in the budget speech.

Infrastructure for schools

With the contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility, NGOs, charitable institutions, 5,500 primary, middle and high schools have been “transformed into smart schools”.

The minister informed that the state intends to convert “all schools into the smart schools”. Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for digital education.

The minister also proposed an allocation of Rs 100 crore for construction of 4,150 additional classrooms.

In addition, Badal proposed Rs 10 crore to provide free transportation facilities for all students to increase the outreach of primary schools.

Universities

For the improvement of the quality of higher education, Badal informed: “The state has released grants-in-aid amounting to Rs. 596.53 crore to different universities and colleges in the state like GNDU, Punjabi University, Punjab University, Chandigarh, PAU, Private Aided Colleges, Government Arts Colleges, Government Professional Colleges, Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya etc. during the year 2019-20.

Rs 25 crore have also been proposed to set up five new degree colleges in the state.

Girls Education

The state has also provisioned sanitary napkins for the girls in the school. An outlay of Rs 13 crore has been set aside for this purpose. The state government has also budgeted Rs 15 crore for a girls’ hostel for Punjabi University, Patiala.

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