Job Scheme Impacts School Infrastructure in Tumakuru
- Aug. 1, 2025, 3:32 p.m.
Many government schools in the Tumakuru district are reborn through the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) Scheme. Tumakuru has spent Rs 122 Cr in one year (2024-25) towards the school development scheme. Previously, thousands of schools were on the edge of downfall and have currently gone through a transformation. About 3660 school development projects were attempted along with 1394 toilets, 1360 compound walls and 906 playgrounds in 2024-25.
This initiative enhanced educational infrastructure and, more importantly, contributed to rural employment. Last year, school development projects created 3.32 lakh person days, putting Tumakauru in the first place in Karnataka State for person-day creation and earning a state-level award for the district.
More rural schools lacked playgrounds, which hindered the participation of students in physical activities. Children were deprived of opportunities to improve their knowledge. The Tumkuru administration found out the schools in need and developed 906 playgrounds with kabbadi, badminton, throwball and volleyball through MGNREGS. As an outcome, student participation has seen a marked increase, with equal importance given to co-curricular activities as well.
Earlier, most government school premises were vulnerable to outsiders and illegal activities at night hours, and the teachers struggled to handle discipline outside of school hours. Now, MGNREGA has addressed this issue effectively after the construction of compound walls. Incidents like unauthorised entry and discarded liquor bottles have been controlled, ensuring a more conducive and safer learning environment.
Zilla Panchayat CEO G Prabhu said, “The focus is not only on offering wages to workers but on developing local infrastructure as well in MGNREGAs. Effort is being put on comprehensive school growth along with the MGNREGS support, the Zilla Panchayat grants and the Viveka Scheme, the schools are being re-shaped”. Around Rs 250 Cr has been spent on school development, including Rs 45 Cr from Zilla Panchayat grants, Rs 52 Cr via the Viveka Scheme, Rs 122 Cr under MGNREGS and additional funds from other departments in the past year alone.
Government schools in Tumakuru still need 600 new classrooms to meet the increasing demands. 400 classrooms have been constructed already under the schemes apart from MGNREGS, and the remaining 200 are ordered for construction this year. 1900 classrooms are in immediate need of repairs out of the 15000 classrooms in the district. The target is to renovate at least 1200 of these for the current financial year, according to the officials.
The Zilla Panchayat has planned the infrastructure development as well for healthcare and anganwadi centres. Around 90 new anganwadi buildings have been built so far, with another 120 buildings under construction.
Even this year, the Zilla Panchayat has set a target of 42 lakh person days under MGNREGAS. A complete action plan has been created for the construction of 1231 school compound walls, 810 playgrounds and 984 toilets in the next year. It will resolve more long-term problems faced by government schools in the district.
K S Kiran, a member of Kestur GP said, “The school enrollment has increased after the construction of compound walls and playgrounds. Previously, school premises had become a haven for drunkards, but now there is a full transformation.”
