Jaipur: Pulling up the state govt over the alarming condition of govt school buildings, a division bench of the Rajasthan high court Monday termed the budgetary allocation for school infrastructure “grossly inadequate in the face of mounting requirements” and warned that delays would harm future generations.
The bench of Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal and Justice Ashok Kumar Jain was hearing a suo motu PIL initiated after a school building collapse in Jhalawar that claimed seven children’s lives last year. Taking serious note of dilapidated structures across the state, the court questioned the govt’s financial commitment to education infrastructure.
Citing expert and administrative assessments, the bench noted that nearly Rs 20,000 crore was required to bridge infrastructure gaps. In response, advocate general Rajendra Prasad informed the court that the latest budget earmarked Rs 550 crore for repairs and maintenance, Rs 450 crore for new school buildings, and Rs 200 crore for laboratories. “We are undertaking improvements in a phased manner, subject to resource availability,” he stated.
The court, however, expressed dissatisfaction, observing that when the requirement runs into “Rs 20,000 crore to address infrastructure gaps”, even arranging Rs 2,000 crore appeared beyond the state’s reach. The allocation, it said, was akin to “a drop in the ocean”.
Emphasising that the issue was not merely about constructing buildings, the bench said safe and adequate infrastructure was directly linked to the quality of education and the future of the next generation. It cautioned that failure to act promptly would adversely impact students statewide.
The court also indicated it may constitute a monitoring committee to ensure transparent utilisation of funds. In earlier hearings, it had suggested exploring public donations, community participation, and contributions from MLAs’ and MPs’ local area development funds under a transparent framework.
The matter will be heard next on March 5.
