Budget 2018 - Modi govt's big bet in education: Rs 1 lakh cr for infrastructure, 24 new medical colleges, Ekalavya schools

'Education for all' - Modi government's new mantra

NEW DELHI: In a welcome move, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a series of new moves in the education sector. The government will allocate Rs 1 lakh crore to update the current education infrastructure and technology across the country over the next four years.

The Centre will set up 24 new medical colleges and upgrade existing district hospitals.

The government will also relaunch the RISE or Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education by 2022.

Jaitley further added that the Centre will work on training teachers and increase the number of schools for tribal children.

Every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal people will have 'Ekalavya' school, which will be at par with Navodaya Vidayalas.

“Technology will be the biggest driver in improving quality of education. We propose to increase the digital intensity in education and move gradually from blackboard to digital board,” said Jaitley.

Jaitley had earlier stressed that this year`s Union Budget would focus on four aspects namely-strengthening of agriculture, education, healthcare benefits and improving infrastructure.

Addressing the Budget Session of Parliament, Jaitley said the Budget aims to create an honest, clean and transparent government of a strong confident New India, on the backdrop of the economic reforms taken in the recent past.

India`s USD 2.5 trillion economy is on course to achieve a growth of 8 percent, following the 7.2-7.5 percent growth it achieved in the second half of 2018-19, said Jaitley at the beginning of the Budget speech.