Mid-day meal for 25,000 students,free books for 35,000 in Sgr

Srinagar, Jun 20 (UNI) About 25,000 students would be provided mid-day meal and another 35,000 given free textbooks while 34 educational institutions slated to be upgraded in Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir this fiscal.

This was informed at a District Development Board meeting chaired by Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Qarra here.

The current financial year's plan outlay for Srinagar district has been approved at Rs 34.58 crore, including Rs 26.92 crore as capital and Rs 7.66 crore as revenue component.

The meeting was informed that Rs 1.80 crore have been earmarked for agriculture and allied sectors, Rs 1.63 crore for rural development and Rs 40 lakh for power.

Rs 5.40 crore would be utilised for communication sector, Rs 7.12 crore for health, Rs 1.91 crore for PHE and Rs 1.91 crore for self-employment sector. Rs 7.15 crore have been proposed for education sector and Rs 11 lakh for industries.

The meeting also said that the District Industries Centre would provisionally register 450 units and 230 formally. Twenty-five handlooms would be modernised and 117 artisans covered under new insurance scheme.

It further said 2000 teachers would be imparted training while about 30,300 children, nursing and pregnant women given nutrition.

Six hundred cases were being sponsored under self-employment schemes while 325 household latrines would be constructed.

Reviewing last year's expenditure and achievements, the meeting was told that Rs 63.56 crore were utilised under different sectors in the Srinagar district.

It said the food grain and vegetable production was registered at 142 metric tonnes while 5.90 lakh trout fish production recorded.

About 1933 fishermen were covered under accidental insurance scheme and 188 youth imparted handicraft training, the meeting was told.

UNI