Feb 06, 2025 09:43 PM IST
Minister of state for tribal affairs Durgadas Uikey said that delays in land allocation, forest clearances, and local protests have affected progress, particularly in remote areas
New Delhi: The government has operationalised 476 of the 718 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) sanctioned across India, minister of state for tribal affairs Durgadas Uikey said on Thursday. These schools are set up by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) set up to manage and implement the scheme to open residential schools for tribal children.
The minister said construction of the buildings had been completed in 346 cases, construction was in progress in 247 while 125 schools sanctioned by the government were at a pre construction stage.
“The construction at many locations has been delayed due to the reasons like delay in land provision by state governments, land and forest clearance issues and local protests and other disruptions,” Uikey told the Lok Sabha in a written response to a question by Congress’s Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka and others.
According to the data presented by the minister, all the schools sanctioned in several states such as Andhra Pradesh (28), Telangana (23), Karnataka (12), Tamil Nadu (8)m Jammu and Kashmir (6), Himachal Pradesh (4), Kerala (4) and Sikkim (4) are operational.
But the plan faces significant challenges in states such as Assam, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
In Odisha, only 47 of the 108 sanctioned schools are operational. In Assam, only 1 of the 17 sanctioned EMRS is functional while In Jharkhand, 51 of the sanctioned 90 schools are operational. Meghalaya, which has 37 sanctioned EMRS, does not have a single operational school.
Uikey said the government was working on solutions, including starting schools in available spaces where construction was not yet completed. “States are being encouraged to use alternate buildings to begin operations,” he added.
“Measures are being taken, such as accelerating construction, recruiting staff, and coordinating with state governments to resolve issues. We have provided financial support and monitoring systems to track progress,” he said.
He said the government aims to provide education to tribal students, with 5% of seats in EMRS reserved for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Uikey added that the goal is to ensure every tribal child has access to education and support throughout their academic journey.
