Central Nod to UPA’s Six New KV Proposal in State

The New Indian Express, Jan 12, 2015

BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has given its stamp of approval to the UPA Government's decision to open 54 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) including six in Odisha and a model school in each of the block.

The new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) will be opened in Angul, Balasore, Kalahandi (Dharmagarh), Jajpur (Vyasanagar), Ganjam (Hinjilicut) and Sambalpur districts. Kalahandi district will get the first  (second) KV while the other five districts have already had Central schools.

At present, the State has 35 KVs with the State Capital having six such schools.

The 12th Plan document envisages opening of 500 new KVs. However, opening of new KV depends on viable proposals, availability of funds and approval of the competent authority, official sources said.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has sanctioned 54 new KVs at an estimated cost of `927.40 crore and this has been conveyed to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi.

MHRD has also approved the previous Government's proposal for establishing 6,000 model schools in each block during 12th Plan period including 3,500 model schools with three-fourth funding by Centre and rest by the States.

Meanwhile, the Centre has sanctioned `3,725.60 crore funds for 2,329 model schools in 23 States.

Though the Centre had planned to set up 2,500 model schools in educational advanced districts in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, the Ministry will take a final call on the plan after a review on the matter.

Earlier, the State Government had announced to set up model schools in every block of the State. In the first phase, the Government has planned to set up such schools in seven educationally backward districts but no budgetary support has been given for this purpose.

However, the Government has made budgetary provision of `190 crore for infrastructure development of 162 schools during 2014-15. The model schools will have Classes from VI to XII and 50 per cent of the seats will be reserved for girls. Besides, there will be a girls' hostel near every school.