305 Adi Dravidar schools to be upgraded at Rs 8.37 cr

CHENNAI: The Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare (ADW) has decided to upgrade schools in terms of infrastructure and other needs. Owing to this, the department has sanctioned Rs. 8.37 crore to procure 8000 sets of furniture and a cupboard to 305 Adi Dravidar schools across Tamil Nadu.

In the calls for the grants made for the year 2022-23, the department noted that there are 305 schools under the ADW department. In this, TN comprises 99 middle schools, 108 high schools and 98 higher secondary schools.

The survey conducted by the department concluded that both the middle and high ADW schools are in need of 20 sets of furniture (desk and bench) in the class. And higher secondary schools each need 40 sets of furniture. Besides this, for maintaining documents in the schools, a steel cupboard was also noted as essential for safe keeping of the student’s certificates, mark lists and other records.

Hence, the ADW department for 305 schools in TN had requested 8000 sets of desks and benches at Rs. 10,049 per set in each school and an iron cupboard per school at Rs. 11,500, all amounting to Rs. 8.37 crore.

Subsequently, the department has authorised the director to receive and disburse the amount and also ensure the purchases to not exceed the amount committed. Additionally, the director of Adi Dravidar Welfare has been requested to send the certificate of utilisation of the expenditure for the amount within the specified time.