Raipur/New Delhi: Chhattisgarh's School Education Minister Brijmohan Agarwal raised the demand to start Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas in all the districts of Chhattisgarh. He also urged for increasing the Central Government's share in centrally run schemes.

He had raised the demand before Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi on Thursday.

Agarwal said the share of the Centre and the State in the Central schemes like Samagra Shiksha, PM Shri Yojana, Mid-Day Meal is 40 percent and 60 percent respectively. The state government is facing problems due to non-increase in the rates fixed for various sub-items of the budget for many years.

He said out of 33 districts of Chhattisgarh, Navodaya Vidyalaya and Kendriya Vidyalaya are approved in 16 districts. He requested approval of Navodaya and Kendriya Vidyalaya in the remaining districts and increased the cost of uniforms provided free to school children.

He sought approval of Rs 2,606 lakh for the ‘Laika Sanwar Yojana’ under Samagra Shiksha and reimbursement of tuition fees of children admitted in pre-primary under RTE, along with approving an amount of Rs 110.86 crore for the scheme and PM Shri Yojana. Provide an opportunity to the schools developed in the last two years to be selected as benchmark schools and to include higher secondary schools as benchmarks, he said.

Agarwal urged the Union Minister to reopen the portal of Pradhan Mantri Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM Usha) for the state. He said that the last date for submitting proposals in all the components of the scheme was fixed as November 30. Due to engagement in the assembly elections, the state college staff could not submit the proposals within the stipulated time. He requested to open the portal again keeping in mind the special situation.

He said there is a need for greater acceptance in the schemes of the Central Government for the development and widespread dissemination of higher education. He underlined the need to implement the provisions of the new education policy. He urged for immediate approval of proposals and release of allocation under PM Usha Yojana. The Union Minister assured positive initiatives on various proposals.