Empty plots, no water: CJP demands action on ‘neglected’ Rajasthan tribal schools

A seven-member team representing the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) toured tribal villages within Rajasthan's Kherwara Assembly constituency on Saturday. As part of the Adivasi School Thik Karo campaign, the team expressed concerns over the poor condition of government schools and the alleged misuse of tribal development funds. The inspection took place in Demat, Pongli, and Babari villages, located in Nayagaon tehsil.

Party representatives noted that land had been reserved for schools in multiple locations, but no buildings had been constructed. Ranka, the leader of the team, highlighted that functioning schools lacked drinking water, proper infrastructure, and essential amenities. Residents complained about the inadequate state of educational facilities, stating they had been using their own funds to support basic needs and school upgrades.

On August 15, Independence Day, a message remained unaltered in the school in Kherwara, indicating no educational activity for a month. The building was in disrepair, with just one teacher and two broken classrooms for 70 children. The anganwadi (early childhood education center) room was at risk of collapsing at any moment. A representative from the CJP questioned the government regarding the apparent loss of Rs 1,500 crore from the Tribal Area Development (TAD) budget and demanded full transparency on how funds intended for tribal welfare and education were allocated and utilized.

They called for the construction of buildings on vacant school plots, the immediate provision of basic amenities, and the full utilization of TAD funds. The government's failure to explain the lapse of such a substantial budget and its utilization for tribal welfare and education has sparked questions. Concerns over neglect in education and basic facilities in tribal areas have been raised, and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has vowed to visit tribal schools in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, and other parts of the country to document the available facilities.