Bhubaneswar, Nov 18: Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan launched Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious PM SHRI Yojana in 63 Central Schools and Navodaya Schools in Odisha on Sunday.

"It is the responsibility of all of us to shape the future of about 1 crore children and take their rising confidence to new heights," said Pradhan at the launching programme held here.

Pradhan said that PM SHRI Yojana was launched on September 7, 2022 with the aim of establishing more than 14,500 Prime Minister Schools for Rising India or PM SHRI Schools across the country with an expenditure of about Rs 28, 000 crore. In the first phase, 6,500 schools have been selected and soon another 4,000 schools will be selected in the second phase. Today, out of 97 Central Schools and Navodaya schools in Odisha, 37 central schools and 26 Navodaya schools, totalling 63, have been included as PM-SHRI schools from today. For the year 2023-24, around Rs. 50.8 crores have been sanctioned for these schools, of which Rs 12.7 crores have been paid in the first installment. A total of Rs 7.27 crore will be spent on 37 Central Schools and Rs 5.43 crore will be spent on 26 Navodaya schools.

PM SHRI Yojana is meant to increase the ability of children and their scientific attitude and creativity in arts and literature. It is also meant to increase the ability of teachers in all aspects. These schools will reflect the curriculum and teaching methods recommended by the National Education Policy, and enhance the skills of teachers. States are required to send the number of schools to the Center on a competitive basis. But the Odisha government has not made an MoU for PM SHRI, lamented Pradhan.

"For this reason, letters have been written personally 3 times in the last 1 year. For one reason or another, Odisha is not implementing this scheme. One or two States are not implementing the scheme for political purposes," said Pradhan.

He said he doesn't think that the Odisha government will not have any political motive in it like the other states.

On this occasion, the Union Minister once again requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to implement the PM SHRI Yojana in Odisha government schools.

When PM SHRI Yojana is implemented by the Odisha government, two schools will be developed in each block and ULB in the State into PM SHRI schools. The Central government will take responsibility for a grant of Rs 2 crore per school. About 800 government schools in Odisha will be developed into PM Shri schools and more than Rs 1600 crore will come in 5 years, he said.

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