‘Identify tribal areas for establishment of new residential schools’

Srinagar, Oct 7: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today asked the Deputy Commissioners to identify the tribal inhabited areas in their districts for establishment of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) meant to impart quality education to the students belonging to the community.

The Chief Secretary issued these instructions while chairing a meeting of Tribal Affairs Department here at Civil Secretariat in this regard. The meeting besides Secretary, Tribal Affairs was attended by Secretary, PWD; Secretary, RDD; Secretary, Revenue; Deputy Commissioners; MD, JKRLM and other concerned officers.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary exhorted upon the Deputy Commissioners to come up with comprehensive DPRs for establishment of new EMRS in their areas dominated by the tribal population. He impressed upon them to simultaneously identify the land patches suitable for construction of such schools so that the students from this section of the society too get an opportunity of obtaining quality education nearer to their homes.

He enquired from the DCs about the tribal dominated areas in their respective districts and implored upon them to look into the possibility of establishing these residential schools there exclusively with the aid of central government. He also enjoined upon them to look into the necessity of renovation of existing EMRS in their areas besides the tribal hostels requiring the facelift. He directed for forwarding the detailed proposals to the Department here so that requisite funding is sought from the concerned Ministry.

Secretary, Tribal Affairs, Prasanna Ramaswamy G, informed in the meeting that the central government facilitates construction of the EMRS in blocks having more than 50% tribal population or 20,000 ST individuals residing there besides giving funds for proposals of renovation of hostels/schools meant for this population.

He added that the Ministry is going to provide a sum of Rupees One Crore for establishment of Tribal multi-purpose marketing Centre for retailing, value addition of products being made by this population. He asked the DCs to identify land measuring 1.5 acres for the same in their areas for directly benefitting these people associated with SHGs etc.

It was further revealed that vetted proposals, in this regard, should be sent by the concerned Deputy Commissioners so that same are forwarded to the Ministry for funding within the stipulated deadline after making of other requisite formalities by the Tribal Affairs Department.