*Cab Secy directs DCs to personally monitor progress
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 10: Jammu and Kashmir is unlikely to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target for construction of toilets in all the Government schools in the length and breadth of the State as even 50% progress has not been achieved till date. This has been viewed very seriously by the Union Cabinet Secretary, who has reprimanded the concerned authorities of the State particularly the School Education Department.
On Independence Day (August 15) last year, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort that his Government would get constructed toilets in all Government schools across the country within one year.
Accordingly, business houses were roped in for extending financial assistance under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the construction of schools under Swachh Vidyalaya Programme. The targets for construction of toilets in the Government schools were given to all the States.
Later, the Prime Minister directed the Union Cabinet Secretary, Ajeet Seth to personally review the figures being reported from various parts in the country so that any bottlenecks in the full implementation of the vision of Swachh Vidyalaya Programme can be removed expeditiously.
Acting on the directions of the Prime Minister, Union Cabinet Secretary today reviewed the progress made in meeting the targets of Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir with the top brass of the State through video-conferencing, official sources told EXCELSIOR. Chief Secretary of the State, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Administrative Secretaries of Education, Public Works and Rural Development Departments, Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners participated in the review as desired by the Union Cabinet Secretariat.
However, the Union Cabinet Secretary expressed serious concern over the poor performance of the Jammu and Kashmir in meeting the target laid down by the Union Government, sources said, adding the Cabinet Secretary observed that even 50% target has not been achieved till date despite the fact that only short period is left for construction of toilets.
They disclosed that senior officers of the School Education Department faced embarrassment from the officers of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry for their failure to present exact figures about the construction of toilets in the schools.
The toilets in schools are being constructed under three schemes—Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Swachh Vidyalaya Programme. The funds for toilets under SSA and RMSA are provided by the Union HRD Ministry while as funds under Swachh Vidyalaya Programme are given by the corporate houses under the Corporate Social Responsibility.
Under these three heads, the J&K Government was required to construct 18500 toilets but officers of the School Education Department gave details of only 6915 toilets, which was disputed by the HRD Ministry team, sources informed, adding “the HRD Ministry team, while expressing concern over this, told School Education Department officers that they were only talking about schools under Swachh Vidyalaya Programme while as the exact target is 18500 under all the three heads as such they should have collected all the details”.
“We are reviewing the progress on providing toilets in all the schools and not only about one component”, the HRD Ministry team further said. Even on 6915 toilets, the Union Cabinet Secretary noticed poor performance as against 2978 toilets in Kashmir valley, only 129 have been constructed till date while as in Jammu region only 70 toilets have been completed against target of 3895.
Similarly, only four toilets have been constructed as against target of 72 under Swachh Vidyalaya Programme, sources said. In Kashmir valley, 1503 toilets are under construction while as the number of such toilets in Ladakh and Jammu regions, is 66 and 2259 respectively.
Observing that J&K was far away from meeting the target, Union Cabinet Secretary directed all the Deputy Commissioners to take charge of this task as Education Department was unable to perform on its own. “The Deputy Commissioners shall personally take lead and ensure completion of work on as many as possible toilets in the left over days”, sources said quoting the directions of the Union Cabinet Secretary.
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