Ranchi, June 21: Human resource development minister Pradeep Yadav today announced a slew of sops in the Assembly, reminding members of the Assembly that four-and-half years was too short a time to achieve a lot.

The announcements came in reply to a debate on the budget for the human resources department.

The Kasturba Gandhi schools will be set up in 74 blocks, the minister said, where 75 per cent of the seats would be reserved for underprivileged students and those belonging to tribal and other backward classes.

Yadav also announced scholarships for students who made it to the top ten list in the matriculation and intermediate exams.

He also launched the Gyan Ganga Pravah scheme wherein middle schools would be upgraded to high schools.

Announcing the midday meal scheme for all schools, the minister said shortage of teachers in high schools would soon be over as he had already forwarded the list of vacant posts to the JPSC.

Reiterating his commitment to form a state council of educational research and training within 45 days, Yadav said Jharkhand government was the only dispensation in the country that allotted so much of money for higher education.

To prove his point, he rolled a list of figures; the government had earmarked Rs 27 crore for state universities, Rs 2.5 crore for free education of the girl students and Rs 5 crore for unaided educational institutions.

As regards minority educational institutions, the minister said provisions had been made to take care of their annual need of Rs 33 crore.

The Opposition, however, mocked the announcements made the minister, reminding the government of several failed promises made earlier.

While leader of Opposition Sudhir Mahto wondered what type of improvement the government was boasting of when students of three classes were being taught in a single classroom, Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey claimed schools in remote pockets did not even have the necessary equipment for practical.

Dhanbad BJP legislator and former HRD minister P.N. Singh wanted to know why only Rs 15 crore had been kept for purchasing text books when the government has been spending Rs 40-45 crore in the last few years.

Dhanvar BJP legislator Ravindra Rai praised the efforts of the HRD department, but asked why the government had so far failed to keep the promise of former chief minister Babulal Marandi in clearing the salaries of university teachers for the strike period.

He demanded that the government immediately fill the vacant posts in all educational institutions, schools, colleges and universities.