Nishant Saxena
The Uttar Pradesh government has made education a top priority by allocating a whopping Rs 20,255 crore for the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in the state Budget presented on Wednesday.
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is a flagship program that aims to provide quality education to all children from pre-primary to senior secondary levels. The program aims to improve the overall quality of education and learning outcomes, with a focus on foundational skills, equity, and inclusion.
The state finance minister, Suresh Khanna, announced several provisions that will benefit primary, upper primary, and secondary education. Under Operation Kayakalp, a provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been made to revamp infrastructure in primary and upper primary schools run by the Basic Education Council. This initiative will help improve the quality of education in government-run schools.
The Central government’s new scheme, PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India), will also help upgrade infrastructure in numerous schools with a provision of Rs 510 crore. This program aims to improve the quality of education in government schools by providing funds for infrastructure development and capacity building of teachers.
The government has allocated Rs 1,003 crore to run various programs under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, which will benefit secondary education. The allocation of these funds will help enhance the quality of education, including skill-based training and career counseling for students.
To ensure that students have access to basic necessities, the government will provide free uniforms to around 28 lakh students above the poverty line, which will cost Rs 50 crore. Two crore students in classes 1 to 8 will receive free sweaters, shoes-socks, and school bags with a provision of Rs 1,000 crore. This will help improve attendance rates and reduce dropout rates.
Khanna announced that Rs 11 crore would be set aside for the operation and construction of primary and upper primary schools in Vantangia villages. The Budget has also set aside Rs 500 crore for the Alankar scheme, Rs 100 crore for the creation of assets for Sanskrit schools, and Rs 10 crore for scholarships for students studying Sanskrit in secondary schools.
The state government has also earmarked Rs 50 crore and Rs 33 crore for the establishment of state polytechnics and infrastructure development, respectively. These provisions will undoubtedly give a much-needed boost to the education sector in Uttar Pradesh.
The state government’s focus on education is commendable, as it is one of the most populous states in India. Education is the key to a better future, and these provisions will help bridge the gap between government schools and private schools. It will also ensure that students have access to quality education, irrespective of their socioeconomic background. These provisions will help promote literacy, reduce poverty, and improve the overall quality of life in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
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