UP govt establishing 2,700 smart classrooms in state for ₹324.56 crore
Under several flagship schemes, the department is developing more than 2,700 smart classrooms at a cost of approximately ₹324.56 crore, it said.
"Out of these , around 1,780 classrooms have already been completed and are now operational," the department said in a statement.
This initiative is proving especially beneficial for students from economically weaker sections in urban areas, it said.
"These students are gaining access to modern, technology-enabled education and are becoming digitally empowered, resulting in the increase of enrollment rate across the state," it added.
To boost educational facilities in urban government schools, the department said it is constructing 2,700 smart classrooms through various schemes.
The majority of these 1,183 classrooms have been developed under the Smart City Mission at a sanctioned cost of ₹160.83 crore, of which 1,088 classrooms are fully functional.
Additionally, under the 'Kayakalp' initiative, around 190 smart classrooms have been established with an investment of ₹57.66 crore, it said.
Under the Aspirational Cities initiative, 913 smart classrooms have been sanctioned at a cost of ₹29.43 crore. Currently, 408 of these are operational while 505 are under construction, it said.
Furthermore, 398 new classrooms have also been approved. Under the CM Abhyudaya Composite School Scheme, 25 special classrooms are being built, and the Vaishvik Nagaroday Yojana has sanctioned 13 smart classrooms.
Another 4.25 crore has been allocated under Kayakalp projects for classroom development, according to the statement.
Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department Amrit Abhijat said, "We are taking urban education to a new dimension. These smart classrooms are not just connecting students with technology but are also preparing them for the future."
"This effort has led to a noticeable improvement in student attendance and enrollment in government schools in urban areas," Abhijat said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Auto mutation of properties in Andhra Pradesh from August 1
With the aim of streamlining urban governance, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has unveiled an instant auto-mutation system to automate property ownership updates during registration. From August 1, the system will be rolled out in 17 Municipal Corporations to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and bring speed, transparency, and efficiency to property transactions. Developed jointly by the Municipal Administration & Urban Development Department and the Registrations & Stamps Department, the system integrates property registration with mutation, requiring no separate application by property owners. Once the buyer clears applicable dues and mutation fee, ownership records are automatically updated in the municipal databases. The initiative replaces the previously cumbersome manual process that involved multiple office visits, delays, and document duplication. The system supports residential and vacant land transactions, including part ownership transfers. 'Citizen-first reform' Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar on Friday called it a 'citizen-first reform,' noting the system's potential to enhance data accuracy, tax compliance, and urban planning. Aadhaar verification, PAN integration, geo-tagging, and electricity data syncing were among the digital features supporting the transformation. Public awareness campaigns and staff training programmes were already underway, positioning Andhra Pradesh as a national leader in urban digital governance, he added.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
What Karnataka's move to exempt small plots from Occupancy Certificates means for Bengaluru's real estate market
In a move that could reshape building compliance norms across Karnataka, the state's Urban Development Department (UDD) has proposed exempting residential buildings constructed on plots measuring up to 1,200 square feet from the mandatory requirement of obtaining Occupancy Certificates (OCs). In a move that could reshape building compliance norms across Karnataka, the state's Urban Development Department (UDD) has proposed exempting residential buildings constructed on plots measuring up to 1,200 square feet from the mandatory requirement of obtaining OCs. (Representational Image)(Souptik Datta ) "Buildings up to ground + 2 floors or stilt + 3 floors on plots exceeding 1200 sq ft may be exempted from obtaining occupancy certificate (OC)," the proposal signed by Tushar Giri Nath, additional chief secretary at UDD and accessed by showed. The meeting, chaired by Giri Nath, recommended amendments to key legislations, including the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, and the model building regulations under the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. The proposal to waive OCs for buildings under 1,200 sq ft has sparked a mix of relief and concern among builders, homeowners, and urban planners. While the exemption could ease regulatory burdens on thousands of small property owners, especially in Bengaluru's dense and unplanned neighbourhood, experts fear it may open the floodgates to unsafe, unregulated construction and further strain the city's fragile infrastructure. Also Read: Karnataka Cabinet approves regularisation of B-Khata properties in Bengaluru. Here's what it means for property owners What the proposed exemption means Occupancy Certificates are currently required to ensure a completed building adheres to approved plans, municipal by-laws, and safety norms. Without an OC, a property is technically unfit for occupation and is ineligible for utilities such as water and electricity from government agencies. However, many smaller buildings in Bengaluru and other urban areas are constructed informally, often without OCs, Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, director of the Karnataka Home Buyers Forum, pointed out. If approved, the exemption would essentially legalise properties, at least those on plots under 1,200 sq ft, offering relief to homeowners who struggle with compliance or whose builders failed to secure the necessary approvals. The move could also reduce red tape for first-time homebuyers or those constructing budget homes, experts say. Also Read: Good news for tenants: Rents may stabilise in 2025 as new supply and infra improve connectivity to peripheral locations Bengaluru needs better real estate regulation, say experts 'If you go to any locality in Bengaluru today, you will find that most buildings have some form of violation; they've deviated from the sanctioned plan in one way or another,' said Padmanabhachar, an expert familiar with the matter. 'As per the Supreme Court's directives, it is the responsibility of the city corporation to regulate and take action against such violations. But under the new amendment, individuals will be allowed to construct on plots below 1,200 sq ft without an occupancy certificate, and the corporation will no longer be held accountable for any deviations.' He cautioned that this could open the door to widespread misuse. 'Instead of enforcing stricter zoning regulations and ensuring planned development, this move may actually encourage more illegal constructions,' he said, pointing out that builders may exploit the exemption to erect ground-plus-two floor structures without adhering to any formal approval norms. 'This move will almost certainly lead to a rise in illegal constructions,' said Vittal BR, an advocate at the Karnataka High Court. 'People will get one sanctioned plan on paper and construct something entirely different in reality, knowing that no occupancy certificate will be required to validate it later.' He said that the exemption could trigger a rush of new construction in smaller plots across the city. 'More and more people will start building on small sites because there's no OC needed. It becomes extremely difficult for authorities to monitor or control these developments, especially when deviations from the approved plan go unchecked. In the long run, it might impact the city's planning and safety standards.'
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
AIADMK to protest demanding immediate opening of Palayamkottai Market inaugurated by Stalin in February
The AIADMK has announced that the party would soon organise demonstration demanding the immediate opening of the Mahatma Gandhi Market in Palayamkottai, rebuilt at a cost of ₹14.90 crore under the Centre's Smart City Mission programme, as it remains closed even after being inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on February 7. According to Thatchai N. Ganesa Raja, AIADMK's Tirunelveli district secretary, the 60-year-old market was rebuilt with 439 shops, cold storage and parking facility in the basement to generate the whopping revenue of ₹2.08 crore per annum to the Corporation. Even though this market was inaugurated by Mr. Stalin five months ago, the market still remains closed due to 'rampant corruption' in allotting the shops to the traders. 'While the traders, who had their shops in this market, demand preference in the allotment of shops, the Corporation says the shops would be assigned to those who are prepared to pay the rent fixed by the urban civic body. And, cases were filed by a few traders in the court that stalled the opening of the market. Though this interim stay has been vacated, the Corporation is in no mood to allot the shops through public auction in fair and transparent manner to the waiting applicants. So, we, in support of the waiting traders, have decided to protest demanding the immediate opening of the Palayamkottai Gandhi Market,' said Mr. Ganesa Raja. He also said the party would also organise a series of agitations if the 'Amma Unvagavam' within the Tirunelveli Corporation were not maintained well to serve quality food to the poor. 'The AIADMK funded the maintenance and operation of the 'Amma Unvagagam' during the COVID-induced lockdown. We gave the money for serving food to the poor during the pandemic. Now, the Corporation is allowing these eateries to die as it was the scheme initiated by Amma (late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa). We won't allow it to happen. If the Corporation still refuses to maintain these eateries well, the urban local body will face intense protest by the AIADMK,' Mr. Ganesa Raja warned.
