The administration of Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up to upgrade as many as 200 schools in tribal areas so that they can establish a strong educational ecosystem for the community, officials shared on Monday, April 5. 

About Rs 104 crore is being spent to ensure the strengthening of school infrastructure in tribal areas and an annual outlay of Rs 30 crore has been earmarked for the scholarship of tribal students. 

"For providing education on modern lines to tribal children, the government started an ambitious project of transforming 200 schools into smart schools in tribal areas at a cost of Rs 40 crore," a senior official said, as quoted in a report by PTI.

They also mentioned how the government is constantly endeavouring to ensure that the interests of tribal people are protected and, at the same time, so is their land and education plus helping with the upliftment of their social-economic status.

It may be recalled that, just last year, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha handed over individual and community rights certificates to the beneficiaries of Gujjar, Bakarwal and Gaddi Sippi communities under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. This was seen as a significant move to transform the lives of tribal communities. 

"Our priority is to secure the future of tribal children. Smart schools in tribal and remote areas equipped with modern facilities will develop scientific temper in children and make them future-ready, besides arresting the drop-out rate," Sinha said after the launch of the initiative.