A recent report on district wise infrastructure of primary and middle schools in Madhya Pradesh shows dismal presence of tap water and electricity. Despite alarming infrastructure gap, state government has slashed the budget of school education department by Rs 1,266 crore.
According to the district-wise report prepared by the school education department on infrastructure of 99,987 primary and middle schools across the state, 90,912 do not have tap water facility. Taps in 643 schools are not functional out of 9075 schools that have taps. In all, 2007 schools do not have access to any type of drinking water.
The situation could be judged also by the fact that in Bhopal district where head offices of the department are located, only 625 schools out of total 860 have tap water facility. 29 schools do not have any facility for drinking water.
Similarly, 43,351 primary and middle schools out of total 99,987 across the state do not have electricity. Indore district that has 1179 schools fares best as it has only 2 schools in the district without electricity. Even tribal dominated district Sheopur fares better than Bhopal that has only 8 schools without electricity. It has total 1082 schools in the district. Bhopal district has 860 schools out of which 540 are without power.
Tribal districts Barwani and Alirajpur have highest numbers of schools without electricity. In Alirajpur district 2,022 out of total 2,404 schools do not have electricity whereas Barwani district that has 3,189 schools 2,332 remain without power.
The only infrastructure that has shown improvement is in toilets. According to the report there are only 1208 schools that do not have any toilets at all. There are only 3,654 schools without toilet for boys and 3,900 schools do not have functional toilets for boys.
2,760 out of total 99,987 schools do not have separate toilets for girls and 2,928 schools do not have functional toilets for girls.
Despite all these shortcomings in infrastructure of schools the state government slashed the budget by Rs 1,266 crores this year citing corona pandemic emergency.
Education experts feel that slash in budget of the school education department demonstrates the priorities of state government.
Electricity
District- Total schools- Sans power
Indore- 1179- 2
Sheopur- 1082- 8
Bhopal- 860- 540
Alirajpur- 2,404- 2,022
Barwani- 3,189- 2,332
