New Delhi: Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd, has joined hands with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) to strengthen infrastructure and promote digital education in 42 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The initiative, backed by a Rs 5 crore allocation under NCL’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, is aimed at enhancing educational opportunities and improving facilities for tribal students.
The project, to be implemented by the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), will provide 950 computers, 950 UPS units, 90 tablets, 430 sanitary pad vending machines, and 430 incinerators to the selected EMRS. It is expected to benefit over 26,000 tribal students, including 13,500 girls.
Speaking on the initiative, the Ministry highlighted that EMRS are dedicated to providing quality education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) children, alongside ensuring their nutrition, health, and holistic development. At present, 479 EMRS are operational across the country.
Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram said the collaboration reflects the government’s focus on leveraging CSR funds to support the education and empowerment of tribal youth, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ongoing commemoration of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh.
The project has two key objectives: promoting digital literacy through the establishment of computer labs and ensuring menstrual health and hygiene for girl students, thereby improving academic performance and retention rates. Initiatives such as digital tutoring for IIT-JEE and NEET preparation, as well as digital transformation programmes already underway in EMRS, are expected to receive a further boost through this support.
With this initiative, NCL and MoTA aim to build a stronger foundation for tribal students to access higher education and professional opportunities, while also addressing critical health and digital inclusion needs.
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