The schools in the far-flung tribal regions can meet their energy needs with renewable sources of energy.ST, SC Development and Science & Technology Secretary Surendra Kumar has charted out an ambitious plan for solar energy development.
Setting up of a solar panel-based power supply system would provide uninterrupted electricity to schools and hostels run by the ST SC Development (SSD) Department in inaccessible areas.
More importantly, it is an opportunity to teach our Gen Next about the importance of sustainable living, said a senior Government official. The SSD Department has asked the District Welfare Officers (DWOs) and Project Administrators (PAs) of Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) to identify high schools, ashram schools and Sevashrams, located in most interior pockets of their districts, to set up solar power plants there.
Director of Tribal Affairs R Raghu Prasad has asked the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) to make solar power plants of required capacity for campus, classroom, indoor and hostel lighting.
There are 1,670 residential schools with over 4,700 hostels functioning under the SC and ST Development Department. More than 4,50,000 students are studying in these schools, sources said.