First phase of model schools to launch in 114 Panchayats in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Jan 22: The Odisha Cabinet approved a plan on Wednesday to upgrade government primary schools to model schools across all panchayats in the state under the Godabarish Mishra Adarsh Prathamik Vidyalaya (GMAPV) scheme.

During the Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, it was decided that model primary schools would be established in 6,794 panchayats statewide. The financial commitment for these upgrades is projected to be ₹11,939 crore over five years, spanning from 2024-25 to 2028-29. The estimated cost per school will range from ₹1 crore to ₹4 crore, depending on student enrollment numbers.

The Chief Minister noted that the actual costs would be determined based on a detailed project report (DPR) for each school. He also mentioned that every high school would be upgraded to a smart school under the Adarsha Vidyalaya Yojana.

Majhi criticized the previous efforts to transform schools under the 5T initiative, stating that the lack of proper DPRs and cost estimates jeopardized students' futures. As a result, the Cabinet has decided to establish Adarsh Vidyalayas in each panchayat, with the first phase launching in 114 panchayats.

Additionally, the Chief Minister announced that the Finance Commission of India would visit the state on February 5 to discuss a proposal from the State Finance Department, which seeks ₹12,56,148 crore in funding. A total of ten proposals received approval during the Cabinet meeting.