6 yrs on, red tape keeps Rs.140crores residential schools for ST students non-functional in Ladakh
Three Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) sanctioned for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas of Ladakh region to enable them to avail of opportunities in high and professional educational courses have remained non-functional during the past six years, courtesy administrative red tape.
Sources said that the Government of India sanctioned three such schools including EMRS Kargil in 2016-17, EMRS StogstokNubra in 2018-19 and EMRS Sankoo (Kargil)in 2021-22 have remained non-functional for varied reasons with official lethargy in one of them.
“Two years ago, the BJP Lok Sabha member from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal shot a letter to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs requesting for setting up five EMRSs in Ladakh. Thereafter, the Ministry examined the matter and it was informed that the construction work on three EMRSs sanctioned for Ladakh would be taken up soon,” sources said.
Earlier, sources said that EMRS was a component under Article 275(1) of the Constitution and fund was being released under Article 275(1) upto the year 2019-20 and from the year 2020-21 onwards funds for EMRS scheme is being released by National Educational Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) which is an autonomous body under this Ministry.
The NESTS has released an amount of Rs10 lakh during the last financial year ended on March 31 this, for EMRS Sankoo in Kargil, Ladakh for pre-construction activities.
As per norms, there is requirement of 15 acres of land, however in hilly states, on case to case basis criteria of land has relaxed upto 10 acres of land with change in building design from Ground plus first floor to Ground plus 2 floors.
Pertinently, Government of India carved out a separate Central Sector scheme in 2018 to improve the geographical outreach of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) to every block with more than 50 percent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons.
Prior to 2018, 288 EMRSs were sanctioned under 275(1) of Constitution, where grants are given to States across the country by Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Under the revamped scheme, 452 blocks have been identified for establishment of EMRS schools. A total of 740 EMRSs (288 and 452) would be set up by 2026 on provision of suitable land by the States. As on date, 672 EMRSs have already been approved out of which 367 EMRSs are functional across the country.
Further, the Government has decided to increase the construction cost of EMRS to Rs.38 crore for plain areas and Rs.48 crore in Northeast, hilly and LWE affected areas. At present, the priority is to complete construction of 740 schools which fulfill the criteria.
