Expansion of Central Schools in the State

Why in News?

During a meeting with the Union cabinet minister for education, skill development and entrepreneurship, Chhattisgarh School Education Minister has urged to increase the centre’s contribution to various government-sponsored schemes related to the school education department.

Key Points

  • Out of Chhattisgarh’s 33 districts, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas, operated by the centre, have been approved in only 16 districts.
  • The centre and the state share the financial burden of union government-run schemes such as Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI Yojana and Mid-Day Meal, with a split of 40% and 60% respectively,
    • State requested an increase in the centre’s contribution to these programmes.
  • The state specifically requested the centre to allocate Rs 2,606 lakh for the Laika Sanwar Yojana under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which covers education from preschool to grade 12 and Rs 110.86 lakh under the Right to Education Act.
  • The state urged the centre to reopen the portal of Pradhan Mantri Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM USHA) for Chhattisgarh, aimed at providing funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.
  • The need for increased funding in central government schemes for higher education and the implementation of provisions outlined in the National Education Policy 2020 is also stressed.

Samagra Shiksha Scheme

  • It is an integrated scheme for school education covering the entire gamut from pre-school to class XII. It was launched in 2018.
  • It aims to deliver inclusive, equitable, and affordable school education.
  • It subsumes the three Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).

PM-SHRI Yojana

  • It is a centrally sponsored scheme for the upgradation and development of more than 14500 Schools across the country.
  • It aims at strengthening the selected existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies.

The Midday Meal Scheme

  • It comes under the Ministry of Education, Department of School Education and Literacy.
  • It was launched in the year 1995 as a centrally sponsored scheme. The scheme has been renamed as PM Poshan.
  • It provides that every child within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who enrolls and attends the school, shall be provided hot cooked meal having nutritional standards of 450 calories and 12 gm of protein for primary (I- V class) and 700 calories and 20 gm protein for upper primary (VI-VIII class), free of charge every day except on school holidays.