Darjeeling, 20th December: Darjeeling MP Raju Bista accused the TMC government in West Bengal of depriving Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars of top-class schools and discriminating against the children from the region.
In a press release today, Bista stated that among the various welfare schemes initiated by the Indian Government, Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) is one of the most important. This school imparts quality education to the children in remote areas. The school focuses not only on academic education but on the all-round development of the students.
“In our region, an Eklavya Model Residential School has been sanctioned for Kalimpong, however, till date, the school is yet to become functional. Hence, I had inquired with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on the status of the EMR School in Kalimpong,” he said.
Answering his question in the Parliament, MoS Tribal Affairs Renuka S Saruta stated that this Ministry has approved the establishment of one Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) at Kalimpong, West Bengal under the scheme of Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India at a total cost of Rs. 16 Crore and an amount of Rs. 8 Crore has been released to the State Government as the first instalment of the fund for construction of the school in the year 2020-21. Further, the provision of land and construction of EMRSs sanctioned under Article 275(1) of the Constitution is the responsibility of the concerned State Government and monitored by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS).
As informed by NESTS, the state government has not signed the MOU with NESTS which defines the roles and responsibilities of the State and NESTS. So far the State Government has not furnished the utilization certificate and progress report in respect of the first instalment of fund released for the purpose. However, the matter is regularly being pursued with the State Government to expedite and complete the construction work at the earliest.
“I am shocked that despite Rs 8 crores being already released by the Central Government towards the construction of the school, West Bengal Govt has not taken any step towards its establishment. They haven’t even signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Education Society for Tribal Students. We need to find out where did that Rs 8 crore disappear? Like the fate of other Central government-sponsored schemes, did WB Govt gobble up these funds too, or are those entrusted with running GTA involved in this Ghotala? We need to find out the details,” Bista added.