Itanagar, May 30 (IANS) Setting up a novel trend, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday virtually laid the foundation stone for various infrastructure development projects across the state worth Rs 750 crore.

After laying the foundation stones, the Chief Minister said that these projects are in line with the state government’s commitment to successfully implement the ‘Shikshit Arunachal 2029’ Mission adopted by the state government.

An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that these proposed projects are to be implemented under the Education department and to be executed by Rural Works Department (RWD) in the current financial year 2025-26.

He said that a major part of this effort involves the implementation of multiple education infrastructure projects that includes, upgrading 39 government higher secondary schools under the SASCI (Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) scheme with a budget of Rs 300 crore and construction of 156 hostels and teachers’ quarters in all districts under SASCI with Rs 322 crore.

The CMO official said that 14 large-capacity hostels (120 beds each) under the DAJGUA (Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan) scheme costing Rs 71.40 crore, 60 bachelor barracks in rural schools with Rs 9 crore, infrastructure development of Arunachal University, Pasighat with Rs 30 crore and constructing 394 kitchen sheds cum stores for the PM Poshan scheme with Rs 23.64 crore.

Under the Shikshit Arunachal 2029 Mission, the Chief Minister said that all infrastructural needs of government schools would be fulfilled while also making policy decisions to rejuvenate the education system of the state. Khandu reiterated that schools not functioning or with zero attendance would be closed, and the inter-village school model would be implemented.

“Over the years, with a focus on quantity, we lost quality. Under this Mission Shikshit Arunachal, we intend to take the quality of our education to top-notch by 2029,” he revealed. Khandu expressed belief that under the able leadership of Education Minister P.D. Sona, the mission would be achieved as stipulated.

Congratulating the Rural Works Department and Education departments on the huge responsibility, he advised the officers and officials of RWD to maintain quality and the timeline for completion without fail.

In the event, also present were Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona, Advisor to Education Minister Mutchu Mithi and senior officials from the RWD and Education Departments.

–IANS

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