Congress for setting up of Navodaya schools

Updated on: Tuesday, February 08, 2011

The Congress on Monday made a strong plea in the Assembly for the establishment of Navodaya schools in the State.

Participating in the debate on the interim budget, S. Peter Alphonse, Congress whip, said that till recently Tamil Nadu and West Bengal were the two States which did not agree to opening of the Navodaya schools. But, this year, 18 such schools were set up in West Bengal after a study made by an official committee on the functioning of such schools in different States.

Recalling that last month, he visited one such school in Karaikal in the neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry, Mr. Alphonse said that contrary to the perception in certain quarters, Hindi medium of instruction was not made compulsory.

Pointing out that the schools were following the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) stream, the Congress whip said that rural students accounted for 75-80 per cent of the total strength in the schools. Forty-five per cent of the students belonged to the Scheduled Castes.

If Navodaya schools were to be opened in the State, Central investment of over Rs.750 crore would take place, Mr. Alphonse said.

G. John Joseph (Communist Party of India – Marxist) faulted the State government for not holding talks with Kerala on the Neyyar inter-State river water dispute. Recalling Law Minister Durai Murugan's statement in the Assembly in November 2008 — when Mr. Durai Murugan was holding the portfolio of Public Works too — that the State was ready for talks, the CPI (M) legislator said that this had not been followed up even though the Kerala government had sent communication to Tamil Nadu for discussion. People of Kanyakumari district were being made scapegoats in the process, he added.

T. Ramasamy (Communist Party of India) expressed concern over the plight of housing cooperative societies.

Congress for setting up of Navodaya schools

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