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Ludhiana: Funds ‘pending’ for upgrade project, govt schools left in lurch
The repair and maintenance of infrastructure in existing government schools scheme was announced by the state government in November 2023
The ambitious Smart School Project, launched to modernise 74 government schools in the district, has come under severe strain due to delays in the release of funds. Schools which took up construction and repair work under the scheme are now left grappling with heavy debts as only a fraction of the promised money has reached them, say school heads.
The repair and maintenance of infrastructure in existing government schools scheme was announced by the state government in November 2023. According to the plan, ₹1 lakh per classroom was sanctioned for 47 primary schools and 27 senior secondary schools. The distribution was structured to cover three classrooms for each primary school, five for high schools and seven for middle and senior secondary schools. Only 20% of the allocated amount has actually been disbursed, leaving most institutions in financial distress.
A principal of a senior secondary school, unwilling to be named, said, “We were told to complete the work quickly because the funds would lapse by March 2024. Following the department’s orders, we finished the construction and assured vendors that payments would be cleared in a few months. Now, another academic year is ending and our school alone is burdened with over ₹5 lakh in debt.”
The crisis has been further deepened as vendors have started refusing services due to pending dues. Another school head explained, “Some institutions wisely limited their work to whatever money they actually received, waiting for the balance. But those of us who went ahead and completed the full project, trusting the government’s assurances, are now trapped. With unpaid bills piling up, vendors have stopped extending services, halting much-needed upgrades.”
Among the senior secondary schools earmarked for grants of seven classrooms each were government senior secondary schools in Hargobindpur, Dehlon, Rampur, Ikolaha, Sahnewal among others. On the primary list were schools like Gopalpur, Majri, Dad, Sunet, etc while middle schools included those at Cemetery Road and PAU. But for all these institutions, the promise of transformation remains incomplete.
In February, district Smart School mentor Karamjit Kaur had said some schools had received payments. But several institutions have been awaiting funds.
District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madan said she would look into the matter and examine why the funds had not been released yet.
