Jaipur, Jan 30 (NationPress) The government of Rajasthan is set to demolish all dangerously dilapidated school buildings throughout the state and will implement third-party audits on every school structure, as stated by Education Minister Madan Dilawar in the Assembly on Friday. This initiative is being launched to prioritize student safety ahead of the upcoming annual examinations.

While addressing a query posed by BJP MLA Sandeep Sharma during the Question Hour, Dilawar revealed that thousands of school buildings are in a poor state and present a significant risk to students.

He informed the Assembly that a specialized committee evaluates unsafe school buildings and presents its findings to the District Education Officer (DEO) within a month. Actions, whether repairs or demolitions, are undertaken based on these evaluations.

According to the Minister’s statement, approximately 18,000 school buildings across the state are currently unsafe. He criticized the previous Congress government, claiming that necessary repairs were overlooked. “The Congress government operated without adequate planning. Buildings needing urgent attention were neglected, which has compelled us to initiate extensive construction and repair efforts simultaneously,” he articulated.

Dilawar further added that the government has established specific timelines for construction, repairs, and demolitions to ensure accountability at every phase. He reassured the Assembly that the work will proceed in stages and emphasized that the government would not retreat from this commitment.

Additionally, the Minister announced a significant overhaul of the audit system. Previously, third-party audits were only required for projects exceeding Rs 30 crore. Moving forward, all school buildings will undergo these audits, to be facilitated by polytechnic colleges.

“This initiative will guarantee transparency and verify the proper execution of construction activities,” Dilawar stated.

During the discussion, Opposition Leader Tikaram Jully expressed serious concerns regarding the condition of school infrastructure, alleging governmental inaction despite the evident risks. He pointed out that many schools are operating from temples and poultry farms.

Jully further claimed that out of 45,365 schools in Rajasthan, nearly 41,000 require repairs. While 3,768 structures are reported as dilapidated, only 2,588 have been officially marked as unsafe.

Criticizing the government’s focus, Jully argued that more attention is being paid to teacher transfers rather than the urgent repairs needed for unsafe buildings. He also alleged that in instances where crumbling school buildings have collapsed, teachers faced suspension while engineers accountable for these structures were not held responsible.

This issue sparked a tumultuous reaction within the Assembly, with opposition members demanding immediate measures to safeguard student welfare.