"Revenue raising"
Indore Zila Sarkar’s recent intervention#2 for government schools
In pursuit of “needed” resources? | “Legal” commerce to pre-empt “illegal” commerce? | Just how sensible is “radical” commercialization?
Commercial development in schools
A proposal for commercial development in school premises for generating resources for school education was approved in the meeting of Indore Zila Sarkar’s District Planning Committee on May 29, 1999.
The proposal was mooted by the district collector, Shri Manoj Srivastava, who claimed there was a need for “radical thinking” in respect of school properties, especially so in view of the rampant illegal commercial encroachments.
Acknowledging the existence of a contrary view, the collector came down heavily on un-named persons who are averse to the very idea of commercial development in schools, saying their puritanical attitudes should not be permitted to come in the way of exploiting the commercial potential of school properties.
A newspaper report quoted the collector extensively on the thinking behind this rather unusual idea which most administrators, planners, educationists and parents would balk at (Box-9).
Box-9: The “thinking” behind the collector’s proposal
There is need for some radical thinking on the matter of school properties.
Some people abhor the very idea of the sanctity of the temple of Saraswati being violated by shops. But these very people, who find commercial prospects so disturbing, tuck their tails between their legs when the very same sanctity is violated by encroachers. They do nothing against unauthorized encroachments.
It is precisely on account of such attitudes that so much of the Education Department’s land in Indore has been lost to encroachments. And on much of this even pattas have had to be granted by the state under the patta Act.
If the education department wishes to exploit the commercial potential of its assets for resource generation for modernisation, why should puritanical elements be allowed to come in its way? Has not similar landuse readjustment in New Delhi led to generation of resources in public interest?
In Indore 10 acres of land in Malharashram school have been lost to illegal encroachment. Must we wait for the remaining 28 acres to be similarly lost before we change our old-fashioned thinking?
Why should there be any objection to commercial development of a few square feet of viable roadside land so the rest can be protected from encroachments by constructing a boundary wall?
At a time when options of public allocations and grants for education are becoming exceedingly constrained, we have to explore alternative avenues for generating resources for school education.
After the merger of some schools land will become available and possibilities of generating resources for education will emerge.
Otherwise, people will continue to encroach on land meant for educational uses and the administration will continue to grant them pattas under the Patta Act. In Balda area alone 294 pattas have been granted on the Education Department’s land.
At least the primary and middle schools that will be closed as a result of our merger proposals will be free from the debate on the sanctity of the school premises versus the need for the rational use of their land!
Chautha Sansar, June 2