Gujarat govt’s novel initiative to boost education in tribal areas

To boost girl child education in tribal Gujarat, the State Transport Corporation(Gujarat ST) will put 200 more mini buses on road from 14 June in 43 tribal talukas of 12 tribal districts in Gujarat.

Gujarat’s tribal areas have problem of huge school drop out. The problem is even more grave when it comes to tribal girls. One study suggested that in such areas tribal parents don’t send their girl child to schools because of the interior location of school building.

Taking this into consideration the government of Gujarat had as a pilot project put 100 mini buses on roads in tribal areas in year 2008. Driven by success of this experiment, the government has now pumped in Rs 20 crore more to run 201 mini buses from 14 June.

According to ST Corporation’s Secretary P.D.Patel, a new lot of mini buses will have low floor built. Each bus will have only 30 seats. This will facilitate wider passage between two row of seats.

The buses will be flagged off from Ahmedabad’s Naroda based workshop of ST on 14th June. The buses are to be operated in tribal areas of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Panchamahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Bharuch, Narmada, Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad and Dang districts.

Interior tribal areas of these districts have lesser passenger transportation options due to which the tribal have to choose risky ride of open rickshaws and jeeps. A new lot of buses will be important therefore for them.