SHILLONG, Jan 20: Construction of residential schools in different parts of Meghalaya was the buzz of the town around 7-8 years earlier. This idea, however, has certainly taken a back seat now due to less budgetary allocation for the proposed schools.
Speaking about the matter, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, on Wednesday, said that the previous government in 2012-13, instead of driving the initiative on a pilot project basis, decided to construct residential buildings in locations across the state.
Informing that the construction of 19 such schools is still incomplete till now, Rymbui said that the then dispensation had sanctioned the setting up of residential schools in as many as 20 locations but only a sum of Rs 5 crore was sanctioned.
Stating that many of the contractors have not been paid for the construction of the schools, the minister admitted that it is a tough task for the government even now to complete the schools with the sanctioned as they require staff quarters, hostels and other facilities.
He said that the government would require at least Rs 10 core apart from extra funds to make the schools operational
Asserting that a plan was missing then, he informed that the present government is working out modalities to complete the project.