NEW DELHI: The Delhi Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Tuesday approved a significant initiative to enhance the digital infrastructure in schools.
The plan includes the installation of 2,446 smart blackboards across 75 CM Shri Schools, with tenders already in advanced stages. This marks the beginning of a comprehensive expansion, which will add 18,966 smart classrooms for Classes 9 to 12 in five phases, culminating in 21,412 smart classrooms by 2029-30.
The project is backed by an investment of over Rs 900 crore, aimed at upgrading educational infrastructure and ensuring effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The Delhi Cabinet also gave its nod to the Integrated District Project Fund and District Project Fund schemes, which are designed to facilitate small but vital development projects across Delhi’s districts. With a provision of Rs 53 crore, these funds will streamline the completion of essential infrastructure projects such as roads, schools, and community centers, bypassing bureaucratic hurdles.
The chief minister emphasised the government’s focus on decentralising development to speed up the execution of local projects. She said the initiative follows the governance mantra of “Perform, Reform, and Transform” and aims to ensure that grassroots-level development reaches every part of the city without delay. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood highlighted that, despite Delhi having 37,778 classrooms in government schools, only 799 were equipped with smart blackboards between 2014 and 2024, most of which were funded through CSR donations.
“We are committed to taking quality education to every corner of Delhi, from Najafgarh to Kirari,” he said, stressing that the new initiative aligns with NEP 2020’s emphasis on experiential and personalised learning. The funds allocated under the new schemes will support a wide range of local development projects, identified based on the specific needs of each district. The Delhi government will ensure complete transparency through a Project Approval Committee (PAC), chaired by the District Magistrate (DM), to oversee the implementation of these projects.
