Malda, July 3: The Union and state governments have decided to jointly open 53 girls? hostels in the state within the current financial year to increase the scope for education.

Chairman of the Malda zilla parishad Gautam Chakraborty said three girls? hostels would come up in the district. Mathurapur Girls? High School, Aiho Girls? High School and Pakua Hat Girls? High School have been selected as sites for the hostels.

According to Chakraborty, each hostel will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 10 lakh. The Centre will bear 75 per cent costs while the state government will meet the remaining 25 per cent.

School education minister Kanti Biswas, who had asked Chakraborty to recommend three probable sites, will convene a meeting of the principals and secretaries of the three schools in Calcutta on July 10 to discuss the matter.

?Earlier, students from villages could not study in these schools because of the absence of hostel facilities. Though we are not yet sure how many students can be accommodated, this much we can say that boarders will not have bear any cost,? Chakraborty said.