(Representative image)

PITHORAGARH: In an attempt to provide facilities to government schools at par with their private counterparts, the management committee of Jageshwar temples has renovated five primary schools in Dhauladevi block with the donations received from devotees.

Jageshwar temples refer to a group of over 100 Hindu temples situated around 50km away from Almora and date back to the 7th century. Based on an order issued by the Uttarakhand high court in 2013, a temple management committee was constituted the next year with the Almora district magistrate, representatives of Archaeological Survey of India, two members nominated by the governor and a temple priest as its members. Sources said that the committee was registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 in February 2018.

According to sources, the committee passed a resolution the same year to use the money received as donations for the renovation of five government primary schools in Artola, Jageshwar, Naini, Chamua and Bajela areas of Dhauladevi block and sent a proposal to the chief education officer in this regard. Talking to TOI, Bhagwan Bhatt, a member of the panel, said that Rs 14 lakh was donated by the committee for conducting renovation and providing infrastructure to the five schools. He added that the initiative was intended to provide quality education to students of government schools at par with their private counterparts.

Almora chief education officer Jagmohan Soni said, “Renovation of government schools and state-of-the-art facilities on these campuses have led to an increase in the enrolment of students. We are also mulling smart classes in these schools. Now, parents are also more involved in the activities as they feel that their children have access to facilities similar to private schools.”

Harish Chandra Agnihotri, headmaster of Jageshwar government primary school, said, “The biggest achievement of renovating the school is that students have started attending classes regularly. They feel more encouraged and confident. Though there is no increase in the number of students at present, I think more children will join the school in future.”

Bhatt said that the temple committee is now planning to adopt the government inter-college in Saukitaal area for which they have sent a proposal worth Rs 20 lakh to the state government for approval.

