The Project Approval Board (PAB) for Right To Education (RTE)-Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) has approved an annual plan outlay of Rs 1,592 crore for the State for 2013-14.
The PAB also approved Rs 30 lakh for a story telling festival during the year as part of the learning enhancement programme while Rs 2 crore has been outlined for self-defence training of girls at upper primary levels in all the districts.
At a meeting between the Ministry of Human Resources Development and top officers of School and Mass Education Department as well as Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority, the outlay was discussed. The PAB approved the annual work plan and budget for the current year.
It was decided that school grants will be provided to both government and aided schools. While a primary school will receive Rs 5,000 as grant per year, an upper primary school will receive Rs 7,000. A total outlay of Rs 41 crore has been approved for this head. Similarly, the school management committees have been empowered to sanction maintenance grant which will be Rs 5,000 per school per year for schools having a maximum of three classrooms. For the schools having more than three classrooms, the grant will be Rs 10,000 a year.
For supply of free textbooks, the Board approved an outlay of Rs 87.56 crore. Free textbooks will be provided to all students of government and aided schools at the elementary level. At least 47,18,561 students are to be covered under the free textbook scheme. Each student gets books worth Rs 150 in the primary level whereas in the upper primary, it is Rs 250. The free school uniform scheme which covers all girls, SC/ST boys and BPL category students will necessitate a whopping Rs 205 crore as it will cover at least 51,46,220 students. For children with special needs, the annual outlay was pegged at Rs 19.95 crore under the Inclusive Education scheme which will cover 1,05,019 students.
A major chunk of the outlay, however, will be devoted to teachers’ salary for which Rs 593.28 crore has been earmarked. This component will cover 79,936 Siksha Sahayaks. Another Rs 24.49 crore has been earmarked for teachers’ training.