House panel tells govt. not to approve Eklavya schools until land is made available, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• House panel urged the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to halt approval of new Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) until land is secured.
• As of Tuesday, over one-third of sanctioned Eklavya schools are non-functional due to land unavailability.
• Out of 722 sanctioned EMRS locations, only 477 are functional, with 341 operating from their own buildings.
• The House panel also addressed the slow progress in establishing Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museums across the country.

Detailed Insights:

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment highlighted land unavailability as a key reason for the Ministry's unspent allocations for Eklavya schools.
• Over 130 Eklavya schools are operating from rented or government buildings due to land constraints, impacting the quality of education.
• The committee has asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to establish a timeline for upgrading existing Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) constructed under older schemes.
• The slow progress in setting up Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museums, with only three out of ten inaugurated, was also criticized by the panel.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): Government schools for providing quality education to tribal children in remote areas.
• Parliamentary Standing Committee: A committee of Members of Parliament that examines specific issues and makes recommendations to the government.
• Ministry of Tribal Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for the welfare and development of Scheduled Tribes.