Arunachal CM lays foundation of Rs 750 cr education infrastructure projects

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu laid the foundation stones of infrastructure development projects in the education sector worth Rs 750 crore, virtually.

These projects, to be executed by the Rural Works Department (RWD), are scheduled for completion in the current financial year.

A major portion of the investment focuses on strengthening educational infrastructure. This includes upgrading 39 government higher secondary schools across the state under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme at a cost of Rs 300 crore.

Additionally, Rs 322 crore has been earmarked for the construction of 156 hostels and teachers’ quarters in all districts under the scheme.

Under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), 14 high-capacity hostels with 120 beds each will be built at a cost of Rs 71.40 crore. The initiative also covers the construction of 60 bachelor barracks in rural schools with an allocation of Rs 9 crore.

Further, Rs 30 crore will be used for infrastructure development at Arunachal University in Pasighat (East Siang district), while Rs 23.64 crore has been set aside for constructing 394 kitchen sheds-cum-stores under the PM Poshan scheme.

“This is in line with our commitment to successfully implement the Shikshit Arunachal 2029 Mission adopted by our government,” Khandu stated.

He emphasised that the mission aims to comprehensively address infrastructure requirements in government schools, while also enacting policy reforms to revamp the state’s education system.

Reiterating his stance on improving quality, the chief minister announced that non-functional schools or those with zero attendance will be shut down. These will be replaced by an inter-village school model to optimise resources and outcomes.

“Over the years, in our pursuit of quantity, we compromised on quality. Under the Shikshit Arunachal Mission, we aim to elevate the standard of education to top-notch levels by 2029,” he asserted.