Punjab Budget 2024-25: 100 Schools of Happiness, 100 Schools of Brilliance announced

The Fact News Service

Chandigarh, March 5

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema presents a budget estimate for the financial year 2024-25. For the education sector, the state government announced 100 Schools of Happiness (These will be primary School for kids age 3to 11).

100 Schools of Brilliance (Sr. Sec Schools)

40 Schools of Applied Learning (To boost Vocational Education)

Mission Samrath – Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. 10 crore allotted for it.

Reforms for Education Sector

School Education

• Aim is not ‘literate Punjab’ but ‘educated Punjab’.

• Regularization of 12,316 teachers, recruitment of 9,518 teachers.

• Skill upgradation of Principals and Headmasters,

• Improvement of security and safety measures in schools.

• Installation of more than 12,000 internet connections.

• Around 4,300 toilets in the schools repaired and timely delivery of books to students.

• Budgetary outlay of ₹16,987 crore (11.5% of Total Expenditure.

• constructed boundary walls in 2563 schools and repaired in 3,055 schools.

• For Schools of Eminence – ₹100 crore. 14 schools of Eminence started

and 118 schools undergoing transformation. .

• For Schools of Brilliance- ₹10 crore – To transform 100 Government

Senior Secondary Schools

• For School of Applied Learning-₹10 crore – To construct Hi-tech vocational labs in 40 schools.

• For School of Happiness- ₹10 crore-To create a nurturing learning environment for• young students aged 3 to 11.

• Mission Samrath-₹10 crore – To imbibe essential skills to Primary and

Upper Primary students.

• Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan – ₹ 1,593 crore;

• For providing Mid-Day Meal to 16.35 lakh students –₹467crore

• For free books, repair and maintenance of schools- ₹140 crore

• For upgradation of infrastructure and installation of roof-top solarpanels

in Government Schools- ₹160 crore

• Financial Support for Upkeep of Government Schools- ₹82 crore

• For providing uniforms to pre-primary class students- ₹35 crore

• Punjab Young Entrepreneur Programme- ₹15 crore

Higher Education

• RashtriyaUchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): ₹80 crore

• For improvement of infrastructure; sports facilities; libraries; skill

• orientation programmes – ₹10 crore.

• CM Scholarship for Giving Concession In University Fee- ₹6 crore

• For providing Sanitary Napkins- ₹5 crore.

Technical Education

• 05 Government Polytechnic colleges for Girls converted into co-

educational institutes.

• 180 MOUs operational and 2760 students trained under Dual System of

Training.

• Additional courses to be introduced based on local demand.

• An allocation of ₹ 525 crore to support future efforts of the Department.

Grant-In-Aid to Universities

• 1425 crore allocated for providing assistance to various Universities and its constituent colleges

• ₹40 crore for research related and other infrastructure at Punjab
Agricultural University(PAU).

• ₹40 crore for Hostel construction at Panjab University, Chandigarh.