Bhubaneswar, Feb. 27: Quality education and skill development are the focus areas of the 2017-18 budget with an allocation of Rs 18,404 crore, up by more than Rs 5,000 crore from last year.

The state government has proposed to open 60 more Adarsh vidyalayas for which Rs 200 crore has been allocated. These model schools are being set up in all the districts. The English-medium schools follow the CBSE syllabus and the purpose is to provide quality education.

With the aim to enhance teaching skills, a state-level teachers' training institute has also been proposed to be set up for Rs 5 crore.

The state government has allocated around Rs 2,000 crore for Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan, Rs 860 crore for midday meal apart from Rs 55 crore for cooking costs and Rs 706 crore for Rashtrya Madhyamika Sikhya Abhiyan.

The Gangadhar Meher Sikhya Manakbrudhi Yojana has received an allocation of Rs 185 crore under which free school bags, uniforms and bicycles will be provided to various government, aided, Sanskrit toll schools and madarsas.

To expand the opportunities for the State Institute of Open School and the Sainik School in Bhubaneswar, Rs 5 crore and Rs 3 crore have been allocated, respectively.