Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari Meets Union Minister Prahlad Joshi in Delhi

Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari held a high-level strategic meeting with Union Education Minister Prahlad Joshi in New Delhi to pitch for comprehensive central financial assistance aimed at revolutionizing school infrastructure, digital learning environments, and overall educational quality across the state. During the deliberations, Minister Tiwari pressed for critical central support to construct modern school buildings for 1,500-plus landless and buildingless educational institutions currently operating across Bihar. Additionally, the discussions focused heavily on securing immediate funds to ensure the uninterrupted operation of thousands of digital hubs and modern learning facilities designed to bridge the digital divide for students in rural and urban sectors alike.Detailed Breakdown of Central Funding Requests: From ICT Labs and Smart Boards to DIET Centers of ExcellenceThe comprehensive funding memorandum submitted by the state education ministry covers multiple critical development verticals. Minister Tiwari strongly advocated for the immediate release of ₹91.63 crore alongside pending financial allocations required for the smooth functioning of 3,818 ICT labs, while requesting formal approval of ₹18.82 crore for 784 already operational labs. Furthermore, the proposals highlighted the urgent need for additional financial backing to build 227 new classrooms in PMSHRI schools, repair damaged sanitation blocks across 525 schools, and equip 836 schools with advanced smart boards, interactive learning panels, and band uniforms. Additional requests included fast-tracking alternative sites for science labs in 1,275 schools, sanctioning ₹8.29 crore for facial recognition attendance systems for teachers and students, allocating ₹50.80 crore in spillover funds to transform District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) centers in Bhojpur, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Khagaria, Samastipur, and Aurangabad into premier Centers of Excellence, and extending the ULAS program through 2027-32.