The Indian Express 21.08.2012
Mythological characters inspire AMC school board projects
When it comes to christening new projects or re-christening the existing ones, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) school board seems to be banking heavily on Hindu mythology and Indian history. Many of the projects for students and teachers launched by the board in the recent past find references like Pawanputra, Vayudoot, Chanakya and Saraswati.
According to board chairman Jagdish Bhavsar, each of these names “is a call from within”. He said all these projects are in “some way or the other connected with the God”. “For instance, Pawanputra is an apt name for a project where a vehicle serves as Pawanputra (Lord Hanuman), distributing necessary materials to schools. Similarly, Vayudoot relates to the speed of lightening, which refers to the speed of Internet in schools,” Bhavsar said.
Asked if the trend will be followed for other projects, he said, “Somehow or other, it happened as I never force myself to follow such a religious pursuit.”
Shala Samagri Vitran Pawanputra Yojna, Shala Telephone Internet Vayudoot Suvidha, Chanakya Vkyakhyanmala and Saraswati Sadhna Khand are some of the projects launched by the board in the last one-and-a-half-year. Besides, the board has renamed the Shala Praveshotsav project — launched by the state almost a decade ago — as Saraswati Mandir Pravesh Yojna, aimed at 100 per cent enrollment.
Saraswati Sadhna Khand
Budget: Rs 1 crore,
Status: To be launched by September
The scheme envisages inculcating spiritual values and meditation among students. A special meditation room will be developed in each school under the project.
Chanakya Vkyakhyanmala
Budget: Rs 5 lakh
Status: Launched in September 2011
This is a series of lectures for teachers. Organised after every three months, educationists hold motivational and self-experience lectures for teachers.
Shala Samagri Vitran Pawanputra Yojna
Budget: Rs 75 lakh
Status: To be launched this month
School board will launch mobile storerooms in a bid to help teachers devote maximum time for students and restrict them to their schools than visiting storerooms and shops to fetch items like books, uniforms, stationery, furniture.
Shala Telephone Internet Vayudoot Suvidha
Budget: Rs 50 lakh
Status: To be launched this month
The project is being seen as an attempt to compete with private schools. The board is also planning to train training on how to access Internet. This will be done through representatives of Cluster Resource Centres.
Saraswati Mandir Pravesh Yojna
Budget: Rs 1 crore
Status: To conclude on August 31
The scheme aims at enrolling maximum students in Class I. Items like school bag, books, pencil, rubber and uniform are distributed among students enrolled under this scheme.
