Over 5.5 lakh government schools have no power connection

Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani Wednesday said that over five lakh government schools do not have electricity connection, and over two lakh school premises lack toilet facilities.

"As per Unified District Information System 2013-14, 2.03 lakh government schools in the country lack toilet facilities, 54,553 do not have drinking water and 5.57 lakh schools do not have electricity connection," Irani said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The government financially supports states/union territories for creation and improvement of school infrastructure under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) programmes.

"In pursuit of the national call to provide toilets in all schools within a year, corporates have committed construction of 1,58,503 toilets till date and the government has sanctioned 73,746 toilets under SSA and 2,477 toilets in RMSA," Irani said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while delivering his maiden address on India's 68th Independence Day, said that all schools should build separate toilets for girl students within a year.

He reiterated this call on Teachers' Day Sep 5.

Modi said it was not enough to enrol students in schools and every school must ensure it has toilets, especially for girl students, to check their drop-out rate.