RKM inaugurates school building

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Dec. 11: The Malda Ramkrishna Mission (RKM) today inaugurated a new building for primary education at Shyamdaspukur village in the English Bazaar block area. The Malda RKM had started education for the first generation learners belonging to the Paharia community here five years ago. The school has been named as the Nivedita Shishu Mandir affiliated to the Malda RKMToday the newly constructed building was opened in the presence of the district administrative officials and the senior representatives of HPCL. It was constructed with financial assistance from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation LtdThe Malda RKM chief, Swami Divyananda Maharaj, said that HPCL had donated Rs 2 crore for the development of such centres organised in different parts of the state. HPCL has allotted Rs 14 lakh for the free primary education centre at Shyamdaspukur. Besides this, HPCL has also allotted funds for RKM institutions in Jayrambati, Kharda, Tamluk and other areas, Divyananda Maharaj said. Ninety seven children are study here from nursery to class II. The Malda RKM provides them free uniform and books. There are 300 people belonging to 60 Paharia families and the parents are illiterate. A person called Kalipada Singh has donated a plot of seven decimals of land which he acquired from the government. Officially the plot was transferred to RKM for building the school. At present, though the area does not have electricity, the school building has electricity connection. The amazing thing is that “the Paharia people have electoral photo identity cards, but fifty per cent of them do not have ration cards," said Divyananda Maharaj. In Malda district, nearly 1 lakh tribals lack basic amenities.