Jal Jeevan Mission to provide smart classrooms

The Jal Jeevan Mission will now gift ”smart classrooms” to students in rural areas, apart from providing clean drinking water. In a unique initiative by Namami Gange and rural water resources department, schools in rural areas will be upgraded using CSR funds of the companies working with them.

It has been decided that these upgraded schools will be called as CM Abhyudhya Composite Schools.

In the first phase, nine schools functioning from classes 1 to 8 have been shortlisted. The schools will be equipped with science and computer labs enabling better learning for students, said a government spokesman. Besides the smart classes, a dining shed for PM Poshan (formerly midday meal), and multiple hand washing units will come up. There will also be separate ground for sports and cultural activities and new boundary wall to ensure safety of students and staff.

Principal secretary Namami Gange Anurag Srivastava said, “In the first phase, one each CM Abhyudhya Composite School has been selected in Vindhyachal and Bundelkhand region. These include Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda, Jhansi, Jalaun and Lalitpur.” A meeting has also been held with the company representatives and principal secretary.

Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh said, “We are committed to making water line of the Jal Jeevan Mission as ‘lifeline’ of the rural areas. Apart from clean drinking water, the focus is also upon health, employment, education and social life of rural people.” As per the action plan, existing classroom will be strengthened, school buildings will be made earthquake resistant, security and fire equipment to be made available, tap water and separate toilets, he said.

The integrated buildings will have library, computer lab, mathematics and science labs, smart class and staff rooms. There will be a language lab to learn English, Hindi, Sanskrit and regional languages. Furniture in each class will be in accordance with age/height of students.