Lok Sabha Question No. 229 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Lack of Basic Infrastructure in Government Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Manish Jaiswal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 229 ANSWERED ON - 09/03/2026

## Lack of Basic Infrastructure in Government Schools

†*229. Shri Manish Jaiswal:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether there is lack of basic infrastructure such as buildings, toilets, drinking water, electricity  and  digital  facilities  in  the  Government  Schools  located  in Hazaribagh Lok Sabha Constituency;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  funds  sanctioned  and  spent  for  strengthening  the infrastructure in this region during the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25;

(c) whether the Government has implemented any special scheme to provide smart class rooms, digital boards and internet connectivity in the said constituency and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the total number of sanctioned posts of teachers along with the details of the existing vacancies as on date; and

(e) the stipulated timeline for filling the said vacancies?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) to (e):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 229 ASKED BY HON'BLE MP SHRI MANISH JAISWAL REGARDING 'LACK OF BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS' ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026

(a)  &  (b):  The  subject  'Education'  is  in  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution  and majority  of  the  schools  are  under  the  administrative  jurisdiction  of  concerned States/UTs. However, Central Government provides financial assistance to States/UTs  including  Jharkhand  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  schemeSamagra Shiksha , for strengthening of existing government schools for creation and augmentation  of  infrastructure  facilities  like  buildings,  toilets for  Boys/Girls/CWSN , drinking water, electricity and digital facilities based on Annual Work Plan & Budget (AWP&B)  proposal  prepared  by  them  and  gaps  determined  from  Unified  District Information System for Education (UDISE) database. These plans are then appraised and  approved  by  the  Project  Approval  Board  (PAB)  in  the  Department  of  School Education and Literacy in consultation with the State/UT as per the programmatic and financial norms of the scheme, physical and financial progress of works sanctioned earlier and availability of budgetary resources.

Based on the approved AWP&B, the Central Share of funds under Samagra Shiksha is  released  to  the  respective  State/UT  in  lumpsum  in  four  instalments  and  not  for constituencies or districts separately. The States/UTs then allocate and utilize these funds along with their own funds in line with their priorities, transferring them further to districts, blocks and schools as applicable, in accordance with the approved AWP&B.

Under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI), 14500 schools are to be developed as exemplar schools across the country out of which 22 PM SHRI schools have been approved for Hazaribagh Lok Sabha Constituency. PM SHRI  scheme  has  a  provision  to  saturate  PM  SHRI  schools  with  21  components including computer lab/ICT lab/smart classrooms, library with good furniture, internet facility,  vocational  skill  education,  guidance  and  career  counselling,  fully  equipped integrated science lab/physics lab/chemistry lab/biology lab, furniture etc.

As per information received from the State Government of Jharkhand, electricity is available  in  98.09%  of  schools  in  Hazaribagh  Lok  Sabha  Constituency,  toilets  in

98.67%  schools,  handpump/tap  water  in  97.35%  schools,  classrooms  in  99.98% Schools, ICT labs in 48.98% schools and Smart classrooms in 38.62% Schools.

The detail of the funds sanctioned and spent for school infrastructure in Hazaribagh Lok Sabha Constituency through Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI and State funds during the  financial  years  2023-24  and  2024-25  as  informed  by  State  Government  of Jharkhand is as follows -

(Rs. in cr.)

| Name of Lok Sabha Constituency   | 2023-24    | 2023-24     | 2024-25    | 2024-25     |
|----------------------------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|
|                                  | Sanctioned | Expenditure | Sanctioned | Expenditure |
| Hazaribagh                       | 37.55      | 30.81       | 36.66      | 26.91       |

(c): Under Samagra Shiksha Scheme, ICT and Digital Initiatives component covers Government and Government Aided Schools having classes VI to XII. Under this component financial  assistance  is  provided  for  establishing  ICT  Labs  and  Smart Classrooms in schools.

## ICT Labs and Smart Classrooms-Programmatic Norms:

The non- recurring/recurring grant under 'ICT and Digital Initiatives' is available to the States for following two options: -

- (i). Option I: Under this option schools which have not availed the ICT facility earlier can either opt for ICT labs or smart classrooms as per their requirement and need. In case of more than 700 enrolment, an additional ICT lab can also be considered. States/UTs have flexibility to procure hardware such as tablets/ laptops/notebooks/ integrated teaching learning devices and open-source operating system as well as Hardware, Software, training and resource support. This would include support for digital boards, smart classrooms, virtual classrooms and DTH channels on pro-rata basis for number of schools approved.
- (ii).  Option  II:  Under  this  option  schools  which  have  already  availed  the  ICT  lab facility earlier can avail smart classrooms/tablets as per the norms of the scheme.

## ICT Labs and Smart Classrooms-Financial norms:

ICT Labs : A non-recurring grant of up to Rs. 6.40 lakh per school and recurring grant of upto Rs. 2.40 lakh per school per annum for a period of 5 years. From 2023-24, the  scheme  also  offers  step-wise  funding  based  on  school  enrolment.  (Strength <100: Rs. 2.5 Lakhs, Strength between 100 - 250: Rs. 4.5 Lakhs, Strength between 250 - 700: Rs.6.4 Lakhs)

Smart  Classrooms: The  non-recurring  grant  for  Smart  Class  rooms  (2  smart classrooms per school) is of Rs. 2.40 lakh and the recurring grant is Rs. 38,000/- per school  per  annum (including  E  Content  and  Digital  Resources,  Charges  for Electricity).

As informed by the State Government, schools with ICT Labs/ Smart Classrooms are equipped with internet connectivity.

(d) & (e): The recruitment and management of teachers in the schools of States/UTs fall under the administrative control of the respective State / UT Government. Central Government provides financial assistance to the States/ UTs to maintain appropriate Pupil Teacher Ratio at various levels of schooling as per the prescribed norms. The Central Government pursues the matter of expeditious recruitment and redeployment of teachers with the States and UTs through review meetings with States/ UTs and advisories from time to time.

As  informed  by  the  State  Government,  in  the  Government  schools  of Hazaribagh constituency, the total number of sanctioned teaching posts is 7,493 out of  which  3,416  posts  are  presently  vacant.  The  State  Government  has  further informed that the recruitment process for teachers at the elementary and secondary levels is currently sub-judice.

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