Atal Adarsh schools to continue as they are: Himachal CM Sukhu

Shimla, Aug 29 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday categorically said in the Assembly that the Atal Adarsh schools will continue as they are.

Replying to a question of Vipin Singh Parmar and Vinod Kumar, both of the BJP, Sukhu said the Atal Adarsh schools will also not be sold or leased out. Work on these schools opened by the previous government is in progress and it will be completed according to the availability of budget, he added.

The Atal Adarsh schools, named after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, were opened by the previous BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur.

Sukhu said the BJP members were raising hypothetical issues which have no answer and alleged that there was decline in quality of education during the BJP rule and the state slipped to the 18th place.

The focus of the present government is on quality education and efforts will be made to impart quality education in schools, colleges and universities, he said.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur alleged that though the chief minister has denied any move to sell the schools, advertisements have been issued for leasing out the schools and land of Palampur Agriculture University was also being sold.

Replying to the main question, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, who answered the question on behalf of Education Minister Rohit Thakur, informed that three Atal Adarsh schools are under construction and a sum of Rs 70 crore has been allocated.

Negi said only three Atal Adarsh schools are under construction and none of them has been completed. The estimated expenditure on these schools is Rs 35 to 55 crore per school, he said, adding that land has not been identified for any new schools during the past three years. PTI BPL KSS KSS