The 2020-2021 Tamilnadu Budget tabled by Finance Minister O Paneerselvam has given more thrust on education.
He said, ”The government accords the highest priority to providing quality education to every child and hence the highest budgetary allocation of Rs 34,181.73 crore has been made for the school education department”.
It has been welcomed by educationists and general public. It was also announced that a new arts and science college will be established at Rameswaram named after former President A P J Abdul Kalam.
As far as the city is concerned, Panneerselvam said the government will launch the Chennai City partnership programme as a unique model of development co-operation with the World Bank to ensure the continued sustainable growth of metropolitan Chennai.
”This projected comprises three major pillars urban mobility, water resilience and urban governance and finance,” he said. He also said that a sum of Rs 3,100 crore has been allocated for the Chennai Metro Rail Project as share capital assistance, subordinate debt and pass through loan assistance.
Though a few dub it as a Budget presented with an eye on State Assembly elections next year, the huge allocation for State Education department deserves special mention. Many say that infrastructure facilities at government schools should be improved. Drop-out rate should be addressed and students should be motivated to face challenges in their life.
Recently, the State government announced the cancellation of board exams for fifth and eighth classes. Following representations from various quarters, the government in deference to their wishes, duly considered them and decided to do away with the board exams, said State School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan.