E-Paper
1,289 government primary schools powerless in Prayagraj
The CDO orders the BSA, BEOs concerned & power department executive engineer to jointly make efforts to ensure power connections to these schools on priority
As many as 1,289 government-run primary and upper primary schools in Prayagraj are functioning without power connections. This includes 712 schools which are located 40 metres or less from an electricity pole, officials said.
Taking strong cognisance of this shortcoming, chief development officer (CDO) Ashish Kumar has ordered immediate action in this regard on September 25, so that all 2,852 government primary and upper primary schools in Prayagraj have electricity connections, they added. The CDO took note of the fact that owing to lack of electricity connections, proper lighting and fans cannot be provided in these schools.
He ordered the basic shiksha adhikari (BSA), block education officers (BEOs) concerned and power department executive engineer to jointly make efforts to ensure proper power connections to these schools on a priority basis, officials said.
“The department of basic education had made payment for power connections in 1,245 schools at the rate of Rs 6,955 per school in the financial year 2016-17. However, 847 schools did not get the connection even after four years having passed by. Similarly, in the financial year 2017-18, Rs 6,955 per school was also paid to the power department for electricity connection in 528 schools. Out of these, 442 schools did not get the electricity connection,” said Prayagraj BSA Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha.
In this way, if both financial years are taken into account, 1,289 schools have not been granted power connections by the department despite the payments having been made.
Of these, there are 712 schools whose distance from electricity poles is less than 40 metres. Not only this, the power department had also not given bills of schools till March 2018, due to which payments had not been not being made till date. The BSA said that the block education officers have been directed to contact the principals of the schools concerned and secure electricity connections on a priority basis.
