Tribe And No Prejudice: Three More Ekalavya Schools In Himachal Approved By Centre; Rs 67 Crore Sanctioned

The Commissioner-cum-Principal Secretary (Tribal Development) of Himachal Pradesh, Onkar Sharma, has said that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved Rs 67.70 crore in addition to the Rs 43 crore received during the 2018-19 financial year, for tribal welfare, reports Tribune India.

Sharma said this was the first time Himachal Pradesh got such a huge sum from the Central Tribal Affairs Ministry.

The Ministry on 21 December 2018 sanctioned three more Ekalavya Model Residential Schools. They will be opened at Killar in Pangi, Khani in Bharmour in Chamba and Barring in Lahaul-Spiti.

Sharma said the schools at Killar and Barring received a total of Rs 16 crore, of which the Ministry released Rs 5 crore each during 2018-19 with the remaining funds to be released during the next financial year of 2019-20.

Since the schools at Khani in Barmour were fulfilling the two criteria under the new Central scheme, the Ministry approved another Rs 20 crore. Sharma stated that these schools would be on a par with the Navodaya Vidyalayas. He added that the Centre had given an additional Rs 15.70 crore under the Special Centre Assistance to the Tribal Sub-Scheme for Himachal.