The State Government has instituted the ‘Mukhyamantri Nirmal Shala Puraskar’ from this year with a view to encouraging the culture of cleanliness and promoting health education in the rural schools of Chhattisgarh.
The culture of cleanliness and promotion of health education to be inculcated in the rural schools would be taken up under State Government’s ‘Total Clealiness Drive’ across the State. The award would be given every year to a school selected from each of the 146 development blocks of the State. The award comprises Rs 50,000 in cash besides a letter of appreciation and a Memento. The award scheme launched by Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) would include Primary, Pre-Primary, High School and Higher Secondary schools.
A notification issued by PHED stated that there are 146 development blocks in the State. As a result , one school from every development block would be awarded from the scheme every year. The applications for the award scheme had been invited from various schools till August 31 this year. The award would be given to the schools which meet all the parameters related to drinking water and cleanliness.
The eligibility for the award would depend on quality of drinking water, clean toilets and kitchens and sufficient cleanliness being maintained in the school premises. The condition for being selected for the award would also taken into account hygiene practices such as children washing their hands with soap before having Mid Day meal .
The Government has also recommended to establish a ‘Cleanliness Club’ in every rural school with inspection of personal hygiene maintained by children of such schools. This apart, emphasis is also being paid on waste management with proper disposal of garbage and proper drainage of waste water in the schools. It is also being insisted upon that the school staff also maintain personal hygiene as an example for the students.
This apart, the Government had also recommended that some sports or other educational activity be started in schools which teach the students about cleanliness. It had also been made clear by the Government that the amount given as an award to a rural school can be used by the authorities only for further development of facilities in the schools.