Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved the Panchasakha Shikhya Setu Scheme, a major initiative aimed at strengthening school education by promoting greater collaboration between the government and citizens.
The scheme seeks to facilitate the overall development of government and government-aided schools across the State through contributions from individuals and other stakeholders.
Under the initiative, citizens and other donors will be able to contribute funds, materials and services towards the development of schools. These contributions will be utilised to improve school infrastructure, enhance academic facilities, and preserve and promote the culture, values and heritage associated with educational institutions in Odisha.
A key feature of the scheme is the provision of a matching grant by the State Government. For every financial contribution made by a donor, the government will provide a matching grant equivalent to twice the donor’s contribution, subject to a maximum government contribution of Rs 50 lakh.
The scheme is expected to strengthen the partnership between citizens and the government in the education sector and encourage collective participation in improving the learning environment in schools.
According to the School and Mass Education Department, the State Government will incur an expenditure of Rs 312.96 crore under the scheme over a period of five years.
The scheme will remain in operation from December 20, 2024, to March 31, 2029, covering the financial years 2024-25 to 2028-29.
