The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has earmarked ₹3,497.82 crores for its education department for the financial year 2024-25. This is the second budget that will be presented today by civic chief and administrator IS Chahal.
Compared to the revised budget of the current financial year, it has increased by only Rs. 294.74 crores.
In the coming year’s budget, the BMC has decided to strengthen old plans by introducing organic farming in 100 schools, distribution of dictionaries and grammar books to students, and construction of innovative mathematics and science centres. Meanwhile, the dues of ₹5,946.3 crore from the state government have not been recovered by the municipal corporation even under administrative rule.
Last year, BMC administration had presented a budget of ₹3347.13 crores for the education department for the financial year 2023-24. After reviewing, the administration revised the budget for the current financial year. As a result, the budget decreased by ₹150.69 crore to ₹3202.08 crore. At the same time, the proposed provision of ₹320 crore in the capital budget of 2023-24 was revised to ₹257.33 crore. Therefore, a provision of ₹330.19 crore has been made for capital works in the upcoming year’s budget.
The civic body has started construction of ICSE, CBSE, IGCSE and IB Board of education schools and the Education Department intends to start four new CBSE schools in the coming year. Construction of 54 astronomy laboratories is in progress. Along with this, 35 sports centres will be constructed. Construction of 20 centres is in progress.
E-libraries have been started in 25 secondary schools of the corporation with an internet facility through four computers and e-libraries will be started in 50 primary schools. An e-tendering process is being implemented for the distribution of school supplies to the students of municipal schools during the academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26 for which a provision of Rs. 163 crores.
For the safety of students, the process of installing CCTV cameras in the school buildings is underway, for which a provision of Rs. 8 crores has been made in the upcoming budget. .
Dictionaries and grammar books will be provided to around 170000 students of class 5 to 10 of the municipality schools, modern school dictionary (English-Marathi), and 1200 schools will be given a dictionary each for the teachers.
₹4.50 crores has been proposed for setting up innovative mathematics and science center on pilot basis in 25 schools of primary division for students of municipal schools.
Government arrears remain
As much as ₹4,843.82 crores was due to the municipality from the state government for the cost of primary education in the current financial year. Out of which, only ₹64.34 crore has been received by the corporation. At the same time, ₹1,167.52 crore was due from the state government for the cost of secondary education of which the corporation has received ₹70 lakh and ₹1,166.82 crore is yet to be received.
Considering new technology in education, the plan of providing education through games will be implemented, and necessary changes will be made in the 19,401 tabs given to secondary school students.
