Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: Opposition MLAs today put the Government in dock over inordinate delay in the construction of model schools sanctioned by Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development for the educationally backward blocks of the State.
As soon as Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Mir Saifullah stood up to reply the query on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister, PDP MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri pointed out, “same reply is being given during the past five years in response to a question regarding construction of model schools”, adding “in 2008 the Government had assured on the floor of this House that construction of model schools sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development would begin shortly but nothing has happened on ground”.
As Mir Saifullah tried to convince the PDP MLA, the latter said, “on one side the Government is making tall claims about flagging education as a priority sector but on the other side Minister Incharge is not available in the House to give reply to a vital question and specify the measures being taken to start construction of model schools”.
He further said, “the Government is adopting pick and choose policy in order to nurture their constituencies only at the cost of areas being represented by the Opposition MLAs”, adding “it is due to inefficiency of the Government that model schools could not become reality till date”.
The PDP MLA was joined by NPP member, Harshdev Singh, who pointed out that the benefit of MHRD scheme has been denied to the educationally backward blocks due to inordinate delay in the construction of model schools. “It is unfortunate that the Government is trying to justify the delay in the construction of model schools instead of taking steps to overcome the hurdles whatever may be”, he added.
While admitting delay in the construction of model schools, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs said that 19 model schools were sanctioned in Phase-I in equal number of educationally backward blocks of the State on fixed unit cost of Rs 3.62 lakh and the work was assigned to JKPCC.
The estimates prepared by JKPCC for load bearing structure were Rs 534.80 lakh for Jammu, Rs 647.07 lakh for Kashmir and Rs 898.48 lakh for Ladakh divisions, he said, adding the construction work could not be started as the executing agencies had quoted much higher rates than the fixed ceiling cost of MHRD.
“The matter was accordingly taken up with MHRD and on their advice fresh estimates have been prepared by JKPCC based on State Schedule of Rates involving financial implication to the tune of Rs 11805.70 lakh which have been submitted to them for release of balance funds’, he said, adding “we have also submitted proposal to the Planning and Development Department for accord of approval to start these works with the assurance of provision of balance funding in a phased manner”.
Expressing dis-satisfaction over the reply of Minister, PDP MLA asked, “if the Government has categorized education as priority sector then what is the harm in making arrangement of funds from the State Plan”.
On this, Law Minister said, “we have brought our difficulty to the notice of MHRD and hopefully they will help us”.
Follow our WhatsApp channel