Bhubaneswar: The Union government will set up 92 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Odisha by 2022.
This is part of the Centre’s project to establish 462 new EMRS for tribal students across the country within a year and a half. The target is to impart quality education to tribal children residing in remote areas.
Among other states which will benefit from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ project are Jharkhand (70 schools), Chhattisgarh (50) and Madhya Pradesh (40).
Every block which has over 50% of scheduled tribe (ST) among its population and at least 20,000 tribal people will have an EMRS by 2022. These schools will be on a par with Navodaya Vidyalayas and also have special facilities for preserving local art and culture, besides providing training in sports and skill development.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been asked to expedite the scheme, which has faced a backlog in construction work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to IANS.
An autonomous society, on the lines of the Navodaya Vidayalaya Samiti, will be set up to run these ERMS.
The government has enhanced the cost per EMRS student per year from the existing Rs 61,500 to Rs 1,09,000 from 2019-20. Ten per cent seats in such schools will be allotted to non-ST students.
Priority will be given to children of EMRS staff, kids who lost their parents due to Left Wing extremism and insurgencies, and children of widows.
The EMRS scheme in India was started in 1997-98.
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