Ronita Torcato
The government of Maharashtra intends convert as many as 4,860 state run schools into institutions emulating the Centre’s PM Shri School (PM Schools for Rising India) initiative.More than 18 lakh students are expected to benefit from the scheme.
The state government will focus on developing the infrastructure and increase support for educational initiatives and also mentor schools in the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Centre had launched the PM Shri School in 2023 with a view to develop more than 14,500 schools across India over a five year period.
The state government will also direct Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR ) funding towards the initiative.
“School infrastructure will include sports and digital facilities; we will work towards a better student-teacher ratio, and also increase resources for overall development,” said a state official. “Efforts will also be made to boost enrolment; students staying at a distance from these schools will be encouraged to enrol and their commute will be subsidized with a monthly transport allowance.”
Back on February 15, 2023 around 846 schools in Maharashtra were selected for development under the Centre’s PM SHRI Schools. It was planned to showcase the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and offer mentorship to other schools in their vicinity.
The upgrade is estimated ₹27,360 crore of which ₹18,128 crore will be contributed by the Centre for the five year period from 2022-23 to 2026-27.
PM SHRI Schools will be developed as green schools, incorporating environment-friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic-free environs, water conservation and harvesting, and the study of traditions/practices related to the protection of the environment. Also on the anvil is a climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
A release said that 60% of the funds will be given by the centre. Each school will receive a sum of ₹1.88 crore for five years; the centre will give ₹955.98 crore for the schools, while the state will give ₹75 lakh per school, totalling ₹634.50 crore.
Phase two of the scheme will cover 28 schools from municipal corporation areas and 383 schools run by municipal councils
The official said that the schools will be mapped to benefit local communities and will be promoted as a one-stop shop for education up to class X. He further said that these schools will have to post their requirements on the Central government’s Vidyanjali portal to seek support from the private sector. Alternatively, the department will direct CSR initiatives to these schools, the official added.
Since the state’s school education department will be implementing NE this year, the CM Shri Schools will act as role models and mentor institutes under their cluster for the implementation. These clusters will benefit students from other schools with lower enrolment, as learning with peer groups helps students in their overall development, the official said.
