NABARD sanctions INR 222 Cr for Punjab rural schools to strengthen infrastructure

NABARD has sanctioned the money from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for the construction of 2,328 additional classrooms, 762 labs, and 648 playgrounds in rural schools in all 23 districts of Punjab.

Rural schools in Punjab has received a sanction of INR 221.99 crore from NABARD to strengthen school infrastructure. National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development has sanctioned the money from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for the construction of 2,328 additional classrooms, 762 labs, and 648 playgrounds in rural schools in all 23 districts of Punjab, an official statement released by NABARD said here on Monday.

Project to benefit 3.5 lakh students

In addition to this, 404 integrated science labs, 62 physics labs, 44 chemistry labs, 54 biology labs, 103 computer labs, and 55 National Skills Qualification Framework labs have also been sanctioned. The projects aim to benefit a total of 3.80 lakh students, including likely new enrolment of 3.5 lakh students, in more than 3,500 villages, it said.

Presently, there are 632 projects underway which are being built with INR 686 crore granted under the RIDF by the Department of School Education, Punjab government, it said.

Earlier, on Teacher’s Day, the government of Punjab announced the commencement of shuttle bus service for government school-going girls across the state. The initiative has been taken in order to check the drop-out rate among girl students. Talking about the basic duty of the government to provide qualitative education to each and every child, Mann added the duty has be fulfilled while taking care of their basic needs such as transportation, diet, infrastructure and others.

"In the absence of transportation facilities, the school drop-out rate is much higher among girls, so we have decided to grant this facility to every girl child of the state to counter this phenomenon vigorously,” Punjab CM said.

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