Bhopal: While school education minister Vijay Shah has been keen on taking financial help from private companies to run schemes in schools, his department is failing to even utilise the funds given by both state and Union government every year, getting a major portion of it lapsed.
For example, while the department had received a whopping Rs 4441 crore under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the year 2014-2015, it could only use just Rs 2817.19 crore in the year for the purpose.
Similarly, the department could use only Rs 1752 crore out of Rs 4607 crore, it had received in the year 2015-2016. Notably, the minister while speaking at a function organised in Sagar district, on Wednesday stated that “Boundary walls of schools can be sold as advertising space to private companies, as that will generate income to at least pay salaries teachers and the principals of the school.”
He even offered companies to advertise on schoolbags if they provide the same to students. “If Jio people are ready to provide free wifi to class XII students we can give free space to them. This will save a good amount of government money,” he added.
Poor scenario of fund management
MP state council of educational research and training too fared poor in fund utilisation. In 2014-2015 the council had allocated Rs 122.41 crore, while the department could spend only Rs 96 crore out of it. In 2015-2016 the department could utilise only Rs 65 crore out of Rs 125 crore allocated funds.
Institute of English Teaching: Rs 213 crore was allocated to institute of English Teaching, Bhopal in 2014-2015 to train teachers in English language. However, the department could utilise only Rs 89 crore. In financial year 2015-2016 too the department could manage to spend only Rs 58 crore out of Rs 213 crore funds allocated to it.
