ROURKELA: At least 13 more Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) will be set up in Sundargarh district, said Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram.The district presently has four EMRS. Oram said no timeline has yet been fixed for construction of the schools. In his reply to a question in Parliament on July 23, Oram had said across the country a total of 284 ERMS have been sanctioned of which 214 are functioning. As of now, Odisha has 14 EMRS with student strength of 5,340 and between 2014-15 and 2017-18, the State has received a total grant of Rs 931.089 crore from his Ministry, Oram said.
The capital cost for the ERMS complex, including staff quarters, is Rs 12 crore with provision for Rs 16 crore for hilly areas, deserts and islands, he said, adding that the recurring cost per child has been revised to Rs 61,500 from Rs 42,000 in 2010.The Minister said according to budget declaration of 2018-19, all blocks with above 50 per cent ST population and at least 20,000 tribal people will have EMRS by 2022. He said the schools would be on a par with Navodaya Vidyalayas and will have special facilities for preserving local arts and culture besides providing training in sports and skill development.
Sundargarh District Welfare Officer (DWO) Sunil Tandi said the district has four functional ERMS in Lahunipara, Sadar, Rajgangpur and Kuanrmunda blocks with the Kuanrmunda ERMS being the latest. He said each ERMS has Classes VI to XII and each class has an intake capacity of 60. The total student strength in Sundargarh now is 1,140.
Project Director to Panposh Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Tuku Barik said the Kuanrmunda ERMS complex has been readied recently and admission for this academic session was conducted for Class VI only. Process is underway for appointment of required teachers and staff. Both the DWO and PA to ITDA said they have no information about sanctioning of new ERMS for Sundargarh.