All government schools to get a facelift

Amaravati: All primary, upper primary and high schools in the State will get a facelift with the grand plans of the State government to provide all necessary infrastructure at a cost of Rs 4,848 crore within 24 months. The government is determined to provide quality education for the students in all government schools by creating good infrastructure and good environment.

Highlights:

• Infrastructure facilities to be created at a cost of Rs 4,848 cr in 24 months
• All primary, upper primary and high schools to be covered
• HAM system to be followed for the first time to improve facilities in schools
• State govt to bear 40 per cent of the expenditure and the rest will be borne by the developer
• Computers, library and other facilities to be provided for 40,665 schools at a cost of Rs 1,035.68 crore
• 2,645.98 crore to be spent for power supply, construction of toilets and water supply in 33,145 schools
• CM to formally launch the mega project on November 14

The State government, for the first time in the country, is introducing ‘Hybrid Annuity Mode’ (HAM) in education department to create massive infrastructure in schools.

The HAM will help in reducing financial burden on government and fulfill all infrastructure related requirements in schools irrespective of political interference.

The school education department is planning to invite tenders for the big project within a week and the project would be launched by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on November 14.

As per a report available with education department, there are 44,591 schools in the State. Of these, schools with functional toilets are around 39,000 only.

Several schools have single toilets. Besides, 3,022 schools were not provided with drinking water, around 2,600 schools are being run without electricity facility and only 19,646 schools have adequate playgrounds.

Most of the schools have no furniture, compound walls and other amenities.Though the State government spends around Rs 200 crore to build school buildings and additional class rooms every year, the problem of shortage of infrastructure in schools has been continuing for years. It definitely affects the aim of government to give quality education to the students.

In this backdrop, chief engineer of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan MRG Naidu formulated a detailed project report (DPR) about required infrastructure in the schools introducing the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).

The HAM model is being implemented only by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) now for laying highway roads.
Under the model, the State government has decided to provide furniture, computers, library and other facilities in 40,665 schools at a cost of Rs 1,035.68 crore.

Compound walls and bio-fencing in 21,249 schools at a cost of Rs 457.34 crore, bio-fencing with barbed wire for all other schools and additional class rooms, head master rooms, library rooms, toilets, power and water supply etc in 33,145 schools at a cost of Rs 2,645.98 crore.

The total cost of this project is Rs 4,848 crore. The above infrastructure will be created in all primary, upper primary and high schools in the State within 24 months.

The government will contribute 40% of the project cost during the 24 months of execution period through annual payments. The remaining 60% payment has to be borne by the developer.

He will recover the amount based on the assets created and performance.He has to maintain and repair the works till liability period lasts which is five years. The works will commence by end of this year.

“All the infrastructure related requirements in schools based on students’ strength will be fulfilled without much burden on government through implementation of the project under HAM,” SSA chief engineer MRG Naidu told The Hans India.

By K Varaprasada Rao