Ranchi: The Jharkhand Education Project Council has directed government schools across the state to prepare three-year development plans covering infrastructure development, maintenance and repairs from the financial year 2027–28.
Under the directive, School Management Committees (SMCs) will be responsible for preparing the plans for their respective schools. The plans must also be incorporated into the Gram Panchayat Development Plans to align school-related requirements with village-level development planning.
Shashi Ranjan (IAS: 2013: JH), Project Director of the Jharkhand Education Project Council, issued the instructions on September 25, 2026, to all District Education Officers-cum-District Programme Officers and District Education Superintendents-cum-Additional District Programme Officers.
The exercise is scheduled to be completed by October 31, 2026.
School Development Plans to Be Prepared in Four Stages
The directive establishes a four-stage process for preparing and consolidating the development plans, beginning at the school level and progressing through cluster, block and district levels.
Officials have been instructed to complete the required entries within the prescribed deadlines. Entries at the cluster, block and district levels will be submitted through designated online links.
Timeline for preparing the development plans:
- October 1–10: School-level planning.
- October 11–17: Cluster-level consolidation.
- October 21–26: Block-level consolidation.
- October 27–31: District-level consolidation.
The phased process is intended to ensure that individual school requirements are compiled and consolidated at successive administrative levels within the stipulated timeframe.
Plans to Cover Infrastructure Maintenance and Repairs
According to the directive, the school development plans can prioritise work related to the maintenance and repair of existing infrastructure in government schools.
The plans may identify requirements concerning school facilities and the upkeep of infrastructure, based on the needs of individual institutions.
The instructions also state that funds available under the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions may be used for eligible maintenance and repair work.
The inclusion of school development plans in Gram Panchayat Development Plans will require coordination between district education officials and the Panchayati Raj Department.
District Officials Asked to Coordinate with Panchayati Raj Department
The Jharkhand Education Project Council has asked district-level officials to coordinate with the Panchayati Raj Department to ensure that school development requirements are incorporated into village panchayat planning.
This coordination will connect the infrastructure needs identified by School Management Committees with the development planning process at the Gram Panchayat level.
Ramji Prasad, District Education Superintendent-cum-Additional District Programme Officer of the Jharkhand Education Project, said the process of preparing the development plans had begun.
The exercise will culminate in district-level consolidation by October 31, after which the plans will cover the three-year period beginning in the 2027–28 financial year.
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