Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal directed the Education department to complete the civil works of six special schools being setup for the economically weaker and meritorious students of the state by July 2014.A direction to this effect was given by the Chief Minister while presiding over the maiden meeting of the Society constituted for encouraging the poor meritorious students across the state, here at Chief Minister's residence late last evening. Mr. Badal said that these schools must be made functional from the coming session to impart quality education with hostel facility free of cost to all the poor meritorious students of the state.
The Chief Minister also approved to constitute a search committee headed by the Chief Secretary for the selection of a Project Director, besides six Principals for the schools. He further said that the process of nominating five experts for guiding the schools through their vital inputs, would also be completed soon. Punjab Education Development Board would work out sources funding to the tune of 17.36 crore annually to make payment of salaries to the staff, besides incurring expenditure on the hostel facility. A separate Recruitment Board had already been constituted for the selection of staff.
Stressing on the need for timely completion of the entire project, Mr. Badal directed all the six Deputy Commissioners present in the meeting to keep close vigil over the construction work to avoid any undue delay. He mentioned that after the construction work was over the furniture and other requisite equipment would be made available in all the schools and also asked the Principal Secretary Education to simultaneously initiate the process of selection of the furniture and its purchase.
To ensure successful implementation of this unique and dream project, Mr. Badal asked the senior officers of the school education department to visit the prestigious educational institutions in the country to study their models for replicating them in these upcoming schools in a cohesive manner.It may be recalled that these schools were being established to impart free quality education and hostel facilities for all economically weaker and bright students of the government schools, who had scored 80% or above marks in the 10th class examinations.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Education Minister Mr. Sikandar Singh Maluka, Chief Secretary Mr. Rakesh Singh, Technical Advisor to Chief Minister Lt. Gen.(Retd.) BS Dhaliwal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Finance Mr. DP Reddy, Principal Secretary Higher Education Dr. Roshan Sunkaria, Principal Secretary Education Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar, Secretary Expenditure Mr. Jaspal Singh, Excise & Taxation Commissioner Mr. Anurag Verma besides the Deputy Commissioners of Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Mohali and Amritsar.