No proposal to give central funds for CCTVs in schools: Irani

Congress member Rajiv Shukla raised doubts about the efficacy of schemes on which upto Rs 6,000 crore was spent

There is no proposal before the government to provide central grants to state governments for installing CCTV cameras in schools, HRD minister Smriti Irani said Thursday.

"The matter relating to installation of CCTV cameras in schools is within the purview of state governments," she said in Rajya Sabha, adding that at present, there was no proposal with her ministry to provide central grants for this purpose.

Asked whether government proposed to install CCTVs in all schools to ensure safety of children, Irani said that education being on the concurrent list, majority of the schools were under the jurisdiction of state governments.

During Question Hour, she said the Bombay High Court had during a hearing suggested that Maharashtra government should consider fixing of CCTVs in schools.

Irani said some Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas have also installed CCTVs.

She assured members that state governments were quite serious with regard to the safety and security of children in schools.

Congress member Rajiv Shukla also raised doubts about the efficacy of schemes for adult education on which upto Rs 6,000 crore was spent.

Irani responded by saying that adult education has been a priority not only for the current government but the previous ones as well.