Brijmohan Agrawal, the School Education Minister of Chhattisgarh, urged the Centre to open Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) in all 33 districts of the state. This appeal was made during a meeting with Union Cabinet Minister for Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi on Thursday.
Expanding educational horizons
Agrawal emphasized the need for a broader presence of central government-operated educational institutions in Chhattisgarh. While acknowledging approvals for Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas in 16 districts, he urged the sanctioning of these schools in the remaining districts, as per a statement issued by the state’s public relations department.
During the meeting, Agrawal also advocated for an increase in the Centre's share in Union government-sponsored schemes related to education. Citing the current distribution of 40% for the Centre and 60% for the state in schemes like Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI Yojana, and Mid-Deal, he proposed a higher contribution from the Centre to enhance these programs.
Financial allocations and reopening portals
The state minister further requested a financial allocation of Rs. 2,606 lakh for the Laika Sanwar Yojana under the Samagra Shiksha scheme and Rs. 110.86 lakh under the Right to Education Act. Additionally, he urged the reopening of the Pradhan Mantri Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM USHA) portal, which aims to provide funding to eligible state higher educational institutions, for Chhattisgarh.
Highlighting the importance of funding in central government schemes targeting higher education, Agrawal stressed the need to implement provisions outlined in the National Education Policy 2020. Minister Pradhan assured a positive response to these proposals, suggesting potential advancements in educational infrastructure and funding for Chhattisgarh.
(Inputs from PTI)
