J&K govt to take over NGO-run school for special children

The Jammu and Kashmir government is considering taking over a special school run by an NGO for differently abled children here to meet financial requirements of the institute.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon directed the Srinagar Deputy Commissioner and Director Social Welfare, Kashmir, to consider the modalities for taking over of the school at Solina in uptown city for blind, mute, and speech-impaired children by the Department of Social Welfare.
Samoon gave the direction while chairing a meeting to review the functioning of various facilities for differently-abled children in both public and private sector here yesterday, an official spokesman said today.

The school at Solina on Srinagar Airport road has 110 children.
The school, which is run by an NGO requires Rs 8 lakh annually to function and only Rs 1.5 lakh is provided by the Department of Social Welfare.
The school also runs an educational institute for normal children with a total strength of 250.

"The government control will make it easy to meet the financial requirements of the school," Samoon said.
The Divisional Commissioner also directed the Srinagar DC to look into the issue of compensation to be given to the school in return for its land which was acquired to build Rambagh flyover and widening of road.

Stressing the need to upgrade the facilities for special children across Kashmir, Samoon said all such institutes should be inter-linked so that they can serve their purpose effectively and efficiently.
The Divisional Commissioner emphasised on establishing three special schools - one each in North, South and Central Kashmir - to benefit each and every needy child in the Valley.
"Efforts should be made to provide world class facilities for special children so that they can become independent in their lives," he said.