100-bedded girls hostel in Anantnag likely to be handed over in November

The under-construction 100-bedded girls hostel in Bantooru village of Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be handed over to the administration in November.

The building is in final stages of completion as 90 per cent of the construction work has been completed.

The construction work is being executed by Roads and Bridges (R&B) department of Kashmir under centrally sponsored scheme namely Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and the total cost of the project is approximately Rs 2.70 crore.

Speaking to , Site contractor, Asgar Khan said, "Ninty per cent of the construction work has been completed in this building and we will try to hand over the girls hostel in the month of November. This is Rs 2.70 crore project."

The Centre had a few years ago announced construction of around 44 hostels in the educationally backward blocks (EBBs) to facilitate the stay of girl students of secondary and higher secondary schools in rural areas of Kashmir under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

The main objective of the scheme is to retain the girl child in secondary school so that girl students are not denied the opportunity to continue their study due to distance to school, parents' financial affordability and other connected societal factors.

Local residents of Bantooru village hailed this step taken by the administration as it will boost the economic development in the area as unemployed educated youths will start small businesses around this hostel and will also help girl students of backward and far flung areas of the district.

"There is huge unemployment in our village and this project will help youth of the area to start their small business on the premises and earn living. I am thankful to the central government for this initiative this will help everyone," Shafi Dar, local resident told .

Meanwhile, Majid, working in the building said that he came here from Jharkhand and he is thankful to the government that he is getting work.

"I am happy that I am getting employment from this project. I am thankful to the government for this. I have been working here for one or two years," Majid said.

( With inputs from ANI )