
The government initiative to handover abandoned school buildings to government department has allegedly proved to be a non-starter in Kashmir. The government, however, asserts that the project was not shelved and in fact the process to make all the abandoned school buildings operation was “very much on.”
The decision to put the abandoned school buildings in use by various government departments was to give some ownership to these concrete structures which had no watch and ward from the school education department for past many years.
Around 600 school buildings were left abandoned by the school education department after starting process of rationalization of staff and students in government schools in 2015.
"The deputy commissioners were directed by divisional administration to chalk out a comprehensive plan for putting these buildings into use by different government departments as per their requirements," the official said.
The school education department was also asked by the administration to reconcile the data of abandoned school buildings and make its utilisation plan under which these buildings can be make functional by other departments.
"Most of these buildings were to be used by social welfare department to accommodate ICDS centres as majority of these centres are operating from rent buildings which are without basic facilities," the official told KNO. The official said some buildings were to be utilized by health department to run primary health centres (PHCs).
The official said in some districts the concerned Chief Education Officers had decided to retain some abandoned buildings and make them functional for students which sans proper accommodation in government owned buildings.
"But the initiative has been put at the back burner as these buildings continue to be abandoned in all districts," the official said. Another official of the department however attributed the delay in process to the prevailing situation in Kashmir which erupted post formation of Union Territory(UT).
"Whole administration got stuck in other issues and the abandoned buildings remained out of focus. We had to plan new things in department after formation of UT," the official said. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan said the process was going on and will completed as early as possible. "The issue has not been shelved. We are working on it," he said. (KNO)
The government initiative to handover abandoned school buildings to government department has allegedly proved to be a non-starter in Kashmir. The government, however, asserts that the project was not shelved and in fact the process to make all the abandoned school buildings operation was “very much on.”
The decision to put the abandoned school buildings in use by various government departments was to give some ownership to these concrete structures which had no watch and ward from the school education department for past many years.
Around 600 school buildings were left abandoned by the school education department after starting process of rationalization of staff and students in government schools in 2015.
"The deputy commissioners were directed by divisional administration to chalk out a comprehensive plan for putting these buildings into use by different government departments as per their requirements," the official said.
The school education department was also asked by the administration to reconcile the data of abandoned school buildings and make its utilisation plan under which these buildings can be make functional by other departments.
"Most of these buildings were to be used by social welfare department to accommodate ICDS centres as majority of these centres are operating from rent buildings which are without basic facilities," the official told KNO. The official said some buildings were to be utilized by health department to run primary health centres (PHCs).
The official said in some districts the concerned Chief Education Officers had decided to retain some abandoned buildings and make them functional for students which sans proper accommodation in government owned buildings.
"But the initiative has been put at the back burner as these buildings continue to be abandoned in all districts," the official said. Another official of the department however attributed the delay in process to the prevailing situation in Kashmir which erupted post formation of Union Territory(UT).
"Whole administration got stuck in other issues and the abandoned buildings remained out of focus. We had to plan new things in department after formation of UT," the official said. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan said the process was going on and will completed as early as possible. "The issue has not been shelved. We are working on it," he said. (KNO)
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