19 educationally backward blocks to get girls’ hostels

Centre to build KGBV hostels to benefit poor girls facing difficulty in getting education as their schools are located far away

The Union government has sanctioned 19 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) hostels in the as many educationally backward blocks of Punjab for girl students studying in upper primary classes (VI to VII).

The girl students of upper primary coming to school from far-off places, those from economically weaker sections and the students of classes 6 to 8 who had to quit studies because of their inability to attend schools located far away from home will be eligible to be enrolled in KGBV hostels.

The sanction comes after submission of a supplementary plan by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Punjab, under the Right to Education Act. The Centre has sanctioned a grant of more than Rs 3 crore, covering non-recurring (one-time grant for furniture, books, bedding and kitchen equipment) and recurring expenses.

The recurring expenses include maintenance per girl (Rs 900 per month), stipend per girl (Rs 50 per month), course books and stationery (Rs 50 per month), besides expenses incurred on examination fee, salaries, electricity/water charges, medical care and other contingencies among other things. The sanctioned recurring grant will cover three months of the current session.

The Union government will also bear the construction cost of permanent KGBV hostels, provided Punjab makes the hostels temporarily operational within the current academic year. After making arrangements for temporary buildings for KGBV hostels, 100 eligible girl students of Classes 6, 7 and 8 will have to be enrolled in each of them.

The office of the director general of school education (DGSE) has written to the district education officers (DEOs) concerned to identify the sites for setting up these hostels.

The KGBV hostels are required to be set up near the schools where these girls are studying.

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