Chhattisgarh to open schools in Maoist strongholds

RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh will open three residential schools for boys in areas worst hit by Maoist violence, a statement said Sunday.

“The government will construct three ashram (residential) schools for boys with 50-seat capacity each in Dantewada district with Rs.94.42 lakh (over $208,000) on expenditure,” the statement said.

The ashram schools will come up at village Kasoli, Badepanera and Barsoor in the worst Maoist insurgency hit district of Dantewada. The public works department will construct the school buildings.

School education has been severely hit in tribal-dominated Dantewada. The state government allowed paramilitary troopers to station themselves in school buildings for carrying out anti-Maoist offensives and in turn rebels have bombed dozens of these buildings in forested pockets since 2005.