PM SHRI School scheme advancing vision of New India: CM Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 4 : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said despite the global challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only safeguarded the country's population of 140 crores but also introduced a new education policy.
"This foundational initiative has motivated us to propel the vision of a 'new India' forward. The PM SHRI School Scheme is a crucial component of this initiative. In the first phase of PM SHRI, 928 schools with classes from first grade to 12th will be upgraded at the cost of Rs 404 crore," an official statement quoted CM Adityanath as saying.
The CM made the remark while inaugurating the modernisation work of PM Shri Schools at an amount of Rs 404 crore and transfer of funds of Rs 347 crore for saturation of infrastructure facilities in secondary schools under 'Project Alankar'. The event was organiased at Lok Bhavan on Thursday.
Criticising the previous governments for neglecting educational facilities in the state, the CM said, "Before 2017, underprivileged children in the state were compelled to attend schools lacking facilities, teachers, or connectivity. Moreover, these schools were on the brink of closure."
"Since assuming office, we initiated the upgrading of basic schools through Operation Kayakalp. Presently, 96 percent of basic schools have been upgraded through Operation Kayakalp. These enhancements include additional classes, toilets, labs, and the introduction of smart classes," he added.
During the event, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and CM Adityanath distributed appointment letters to newly selected Group B officers. Tablets were handed over to several principals to integrate schools with technology, and certificates were presented to various teachers for conducting smart classes.
The CM further emphasised the significance of the School Chalo Abhiyan, initiated to prevent dropouts, which successfully connected every teacher, officer, and public representative.
"As a result, there has been an increase of 40 lakh children attending schools. During the campaign, it was observed that children were attending school barefoot and in shirts during cold weather. In response, the government is disbursing funds through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in April for children's bags, books, sweaters, and shoes," he said.
The CM added that to address the shortage of teachers in schools, the government recruited 1.25 lakh teachers.
"Previously, students from the state sought coaching in other states. Following the COVID period, the Abhyudaya coaching program was launched, which is conducted both virtually and physically in every district. Presently, children are preparing for competitive exams such as NEET, IIT, UPSC, IPS and PCS while numerous other officers are devoting an hour daily to coaching classes. Consequently, the children of the state are securing jobs through various competitive examinations," he added.
Chief Minister Adityanath also underlined the significant improvement brought about by the current government, contrasting it with the previous administration's expertise in facilitating cheating during exams, according to the release.
He noted that students from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal, and other states used to enrol in Uttar Pradesh due to the availability of copying materials during exams.
"Upon assuming office, the government implemented strict measures to ban this practice and undertook substantial efforts to enhance school infrastructure. As a result, prestigious global educational institutions are expressing interest in establishing their branches in the state," the CM noted.
CM Yogi emphasized that through the National Education Policy, India is poised to reclaim global leadership in education.
Uttar Pradesh, with its 5 crore students, will play a pivotal role in achieving this and elevating the state and the country to new heights through various educational initiatives, the release quoted the CM as saying.