Pune district gets Rs184 crore under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

With the Centre making an allocation of Rs21,000 crore for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the Union Budget, the education department of the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) exuded confidence that its proposal for Rs184 crore for the next fiscal would be approved by the Union government. 

The Pune district has received the second highest allocation of funds under SSA in the state after Thane, considering the number of students, schools and teachers involved in the SSA. 

The deputy education officer of Pune ZP, Ashok Misal, told DNA that plans have been made by the authorities to provide uniforms to students getting education under SSA. Over 12 lakh students involving different schools, including those managed by zilla parishad, Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, and a few private ones. 

“Moreover, we have decided to give special training to the teachers teaching those students who are weak in studies. We need more funds for this training programme,’’ Misal added, stating that the they have to implement the Right To Education Act, 2009, under SSA from the next financial year. 

According to officials, with higher allocation for SSA they are planning to increase the per student allocation. The availability of more funds, Misal said, would enable the department to increase the staff strength. 

The ZP has sent a proposal to start activity-based learning projects for students and computer training, which are yet to be approved.