UP: Migrant workers to anchor primary schools’ ‘kayakalp’

PRAYAGRAJ: Government-run primary and upper primary schools in the state are set for a makeover as the education department starts ropeing in migrant workers, who had returned to their home towns due to the lockdown, to renovate these buildings.
The project is being called ‘Mission Kayakalp’ and the state education department has engaged migrant workers from all 75 districts in the initiative.
Under the mission, the migrant workers will be engaged in construction of boundary walls, gates, fencing of kitchen gardens and developing playgrounds in primary and upper primary schools.
“The project is being funded by gram panchayats under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). The department has set September 30 as a deadline to complere these projects,” said Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha.
In Prayagraj district, the plan is being implemented in around 85% of the 3,479 of primary and upper primary government schools.
State project directorate of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan was provided with details of the work being undertaken in 846 out of the 1050 schools of which report has been sent till June 19, he added. On April 29, the state government had directed officials to ensure that migrant workers returning from other cities during the lockdown are offered jobs in their native villages.
The state project directorate of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has received data from 48,891 out of 1,58,918 schools in UP about the progress of the project.
Around 18 districts including Prayagraj, Kanpur Dehat, Bareilly, Mirzapur and Fatehpur have reported a progress of 60% in the work.
Sixteen districts including Lucknow, Kaushambi, Meerut and Barabanki have reported progress of less than 60% but more than 50% of the work.
However, 28 districts including Varanasi, Baghpat, Chitrakoot, Agra, Mathura and Jhansi have reported progress of less than 50% but more than 35% of the work while the remaining 13 districts including Pratapgarh, Kannauj, Banda, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur have reported progress of less than 35% of the work till 19 June.