Sambalpur, July 12: About 211 government primary schools in Sambalpur are running without any electricity connection at a time when the state government is planning to introduce compulsory computer education in all schools.

There are 1,471 government and government-aided schools in Sambalpur district. Of the 211 schools that do not have electricity connection, some are even located in urban areas. The Maoist-affected Jujomura block has 33 schools that run without electricity connection, followed by 31 schools in Jamankira block and 26 schools in Maneswar block. A similar situation exists in other blocks.

There are 24 schools in Naktideul, 20 each in Rangali and Rairakhol, 18 each in Dhankauda and Bamra, and 14 in Kuchinda that are yet to get electricity. Among the primary schools in urban areas of the district, one at the Burla notified area council (NAC) zone, and two each in Rairakhol and Hirkud NAC zones do not have electricity connection.

In Sambalpur Municipality area, too, two such schools are awaiting power connection.“The status of the 211 schools has been communicated to the planning section. There are plans to provide electricity to these schools very soon,” said Rabi Narayana Sahu, an official of the district Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan. A decision to this effect has already been taken in the district electrical committee meeting that all educational institutions in Sambalpur would be provided with electricity connection by December 2011.

The meeting was held on June 24, which was presided by Sambalpur collector Mrinalini Darswal.