Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey informed Lok Sabha today that as per existing Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) scheme guidelines, EMRSs are set up in blocks having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011) to provide quality education to tribal students in their own environment. Under the scheme, there is no stipulated timeline for identification of land, however State Governments are regularly requested to provide land on urgent basis. The total construction period of EMRS is 24 months for plain area and 30 months for LWE/Hilly/NE areas after encumbrance free land is provided by the respective state government.

The State Governments are currently running some of the EMRSs from rented and other government buildings, where construction of the permanent campuses is not complete.

****

RN/