Patna- Rs 10000 crore allotted to edu dept: CM

From - TOI

PATNA: Less than three percent of students are still left in the state who do not have access to schools, while five years back this figure was 12 percent, said CM Nitish Kumar on Friday while inaugurating the 'Shiksha Diwas' programme through video conferencing at the Gandhi Maidan.

Speaking at the function organized by the state HRD department on the eve of the birth anniversary of India's first Union education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the CM promised Biharis that Bihar would soon regain its glory of an educated state.

The CM informed that Bihar has received Decadal Literacy Award 2011 from 'Shakshar Bharat' for achieving highest growth of literacy and females literacy rates during 2001-2011.

"For promotion of education, this year the government has allotted budget of Rs 10,000 crore to the education department, which is the maximum amount given to any department," said Nitish.

Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said, "the government is taking various steps to attract students to schools." He informed that in the last four years, the state has given 30 lakh cycles to students and uniforms to more than 20 lakh girls.

HRD minister P K Sahi said that for the promotion of science amongst students, the 38th Jawaharlal Nehru National Exhibition for Science and Environmental Education for Children has been organized here in the city. Around 180 scientific models have been displayed, which have been made by school students of 30 states, Union territories and other organizations.

Sahi said that around 3,000 participants, including students and teachers of the government schools and literacy volunteers, took part in the event that is organized on the theme, 'Quality Education'.

On the first day, a Bihar-based trust for the promotion of science and mathematics -- Inspiration -- felicitated as many as four young scientists in four age groups with 'Indian Award for Young Scientists'.

Amongst the winners were, Ankit Verma, Class X student of Vidya Jyoti School, Nalanda (junior category), Mohd Sheeraz and Anwar, Class XII students of Mahatma Gandhi College, Darbhanga (senior) and guest faculty, biochemistry, Patna Science College (researcher category), Kumar Pranay.

At one of the stalls, Microsoft India also felicitated teachers of Bihar with the 'Innovative Teachers Leadership Award' for developing innovative lesson plans using technology to improve classroom learning. The opening ceremony was followed by a cultural programme.