Jobs for migrants, facelift for schools
LUCKNOW:The dilapidated primary school in Behta village of Bakshi Ka Talab (BKT) block of the state capital, which also served as a quarantine centre, wears a new look now.
Its decaying boundary wall has now been replaced by a new plastered one with colourful paintings on it. The uneven floor of the classrooms sports tiled flooring, while the dimly lit classrooms are now brightly illuminated. In the toilets, shiny, new fittings are in place.
Behta Primary School is not the only school to witness the sea change, but is part of the Panchayati Raj department’s drive to give a complete makeover to junior and primary schools that served as quarantine centres during the lockdown.
The drive is also aimed at employing migrant and local labourers. Other than the Behta Primary School, the drive will cover all 1,587 schools, a majority of which are in a dilapidated state.
Officials said that the drive has been named ‘Operation Kaya Kalp’ that aims at giving a complete makeover to all primary and junior schools in rural areas.
“We have roped in migrant and local labourers to execute this mammoth task in a planned manner,” said Lucknow chief development officer (CDO) Manish Bansal, who is overseeing the entire makeover drive.
Bansal said that the makeover will also be a big surprise to the students once school resumes. “We are focusing on 14 main points under the drive. It largely includes tiling, construction of male and female toilets, wall paintings, proper hand-washing facilities, potable water facilities, electrical fittings, ramps, campus beautification, establishment of white and green boards in all classrooms,” the CDO said.
Bansal said that work is in progress in around 592 schools, while the makeover of 267 schools has been completed.
Not only for students, Operation Kaya Kalp, which is being carried out with gram panchayat funds, also turned out to be a boon for migrant labourers. “While leaving Gujarat, where I was working for the last seven years as a labourer, I never thought that I would get work again. We are getting Rs 250 to Rs 350 a day for renovating schools, depending upon whether one is a skilled or semiskilled labourer,” said Santosh Kumar, who hails from BKT block of the state capital.
Though he said that the amount was less than what he used to get in Gujarat but he will continue to work until the Covid-19 phase gets over. “The remuneration is less but family members are asking me to stay at home until the Covid-19 phase gets over. Hence, I thought to continue working till I am home,” added Kumar.
According to the records of the Panchayati Raj Department, 897 labourers, including migrants are currently employed with the department in the school facelift drive.