Focus on education, Mann govt rolls out many initiatives in Punjab budget

Chandigarh: With education being one of the focus areas of the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government, the State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday rolled out many new initiatives in the budget.

The initiatives include transforming 100 government senior secondary schools into 'schools of brilliance'.

The government has also proposed to transform 100 primary government schools into 'schools of happiness'.

The finance minister announced an outlay of Rs 16,987 crore for the education sector, which is around 11.5 per cent of the total estimated expenditure in the next fiscal.

Cheema presented the state's budget in the state assembly for the financial year 2024-25, envisaging a total outlay of over Rs 2 lakh crore.

Detailing initiatives in the education sector, Cheema said 118 government schools will undergo a transformation to become state-of-the-art 'schools of eminence' and 14 such schools have already been started. The government has budgeted Rs 100 crore in FY25 for this purpose.

Besides, 100 government senior secondary schools will be transformed as 'schools of brilliance', he said, adding that an initial allocation of Rs 10 crore has been earmarked for the purpose.

This scheme aims to elevate education quality and transform these rural schools into centres of learning from Class 6 to 12, Cheema said.

With the aim of creating a nurturing and learning environment for young students aged three to 11, the government also proposes to transform 100 primary government schools into 'schools of happiness'. The focus would be on providing well-ventilated classrooms, dedicated play areas, resource rooms and activity corners, Cheema said.

For this scheme, Rs 10 crore has been provisioned in FY25, he added.

Further, with a view to developing skills, including technical skills in students, for enabling them to earn a livelihood, 'school of applied learning' is proposed to be established with an initial provision of Rs 10 crore in FY25.

In the first phase, hi-tech vocational labs would be constructed in 40 schools, he said.

During his budget speech, Cheema said for the AAP government, the aim is not a "literate Punjab" but an "educated Punjab".

"We don't want to foster only the ability to read and write in our children, but to instill knowledge, morality and sensibility in them," he said.

"Regularisation of 12,316 teachers, recruitment of 9,518 teachers, skill upgradation of principals and headmasters, improvement of security and safety measures in schools, installation of more than 12,000 internet connections, repair of around 4,300 toilets in the schools and timely delivery of books to the students among others have been our hallmarks," said Cheema.

He said the government proposes to launch 'Mission Samrath' to imbibe essential skills to the primary and upper primary students with a proposed allocation of Rs 10 crore in FY 2024-25.

Touching upon the medical education and research sector, Cheema said, "I propose a budgetary outlay of Rs 1,133 crore in FY 2024-25 for undertaking the developmental activities under medical education and research, which includes a special provision for developing a girls' hostel at Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala".

He said the government understands the importance of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana and alleged that no concrete steps have been taken by the previous governments to strengthen and modernise PAU.

In recognition of the role played by the university, a provision of Rs 40 crore has been made for the development of research-related and other infrastructure in the university in FY 2024-25, Cheema said.

In addition to this, an initial allocation of Rs 40 crore has been proposed in FY 2024-25 for the construction of the Hostel at Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, in sports and youth services, Cheema proposed to establish 1,000 sports nurseries for approximately 60,000 sportspersons aged between 6 to 17 years in all districts of Punjab.

In the first phase, 250 sports nurseries are being established with proper coaching and availability of sports equipment to players, for which an initial outlay of Rs 50 crore has been proposed in FY 2024-25.

To promote sports education in the areas of sport science, sports technology, sports Management and coaching, he proposed an allocation of Rs 34 crore for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University in FY 2024-25.