Around 500 buildings abandoned by the school education department after rationalisation of government-run educational institutions are likely to be handed over to various government departments.
Respective deputy commissioners of districts have chalkedout a plan to handover the buildings to various departments for utilisationaccording to their requirements.
The 500 buildings were left vacant with no watch and wardfrom education department after the then education minister in 2015 mergedaround 2400 government school that had meagre enrolment.
The initiative was taken after 124 government schools instate were found without any student enrolment.
After the rationalization process, these buildings hadbecome ghost houses many of which were later tuned by miscreants into hubs forillegal activities.
In view of this, last month the school education departmentwas asked to reconcile the data about abandoned school buildings and make autilisation plan under which these buildings can be handed over to the otherdepartments.
Most of these buildings are likely to be utilised foraccommodation of ICDS centres and primary health centres (PHCs) which arefunctioning from rented spaces.
Baramulla district has around 90 abandoned buildings whichinclude those on which the construction work has been halted in recent years.
An official told Greater Kashmir that there were around 1400under-construction school buildings in Jammu and Kashmir which were approved asa strengthening component to provide additional space for schools.
“The construction work on these buildings has been halteddue to cost escalation and other reasons, leaving the buildings abandoned,” theofficial said.
Meanwhile, out of the 90 abandoned school buildings 15 willbe retained by the school education department. A list of the rest of thebuildings has been submitted to the deputy commissioner Baramulla.
“The 15 buildings retained by the department will be used toaccommodate zonal education offices in some zones of the district. Fewbuildings will be utilised as additional accommodation in schools having dearthof classrooms,” an official at chief education office (CEO) of Baramulla said.
He said the rest of buildings will be distributed amongother government departments as per their requirements.
Authorities in the rural development department inBarammulla district have asked the Secretary Panchayats to identify thebuildings that can be used to accommodate Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs).
“These buildings can be utilised for holding Panchayatmeetings as well,” an official said.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, G N Itoo said it was decidedto move PHCs or ICDS centres into the abandoned school buildings so that thestructures will be properly maintained and get ownership of governmentdepartments.
“We will try to utilise all the buildings so that the moneyutilised for construction of these buildings don’t get wasted,” Itoo said.