Jaipur, March 23 -- The Union government has approved Rs.300 crore for the reconstruction of dilapidated school buildings in Rajasthan, chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said on Sunday. Sharma, in a statement, said that strengthening educational infrastructure remains a top priority for the state government. He emphasised that the aim is to provide every student with a safe, modern and inspiring learning environment to help them realise their aspirations. Sharma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the allocation by the Union ministry of education and added that under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Modi, the Centre's support will lead to qualitative improvements in the education sector and ensure better facilities for students across the state. The Rs.300-crore central assistance comes at a time when the Rajasthan government has already outlined a plan to overhaul school infrastructure. In an affidavit submitted before the high court on Thursday, the state government detailed a Rs.12,335-crore roadmap to repair and rebuild over 123,000 dilapidated school buildings over the next five years. According to the plan, Rs.2,487 crore will be spent on constructing new school buildings to replace 3,587 unsafe structures, while Rs.1,129 crore has been earmarked for major repairs of 22,589 buildings. Additionally, Rs.8,378 crore will be used to build new classrooms in place of over 830,000 dilapidated classrooms, and Rs.340 crore has been allocated for the construction and repair of 13,616 unsafe toilets. The government has also set phased targets, beginning with work on 20,830 units at a cost of Rs.2,021 crore in the ongoing financial year 2026-27, followed by 22,917 units in 2027-28, 7,626 units in 2028-29, 27,721 units in 2029-30, and 30,481 units in 2030-31. The issue of unsafe school infrastructure gained urgency after tragic incidents last year. The high court took suo motu cognisance following the death of seven children in a school building collapse in Jhalawar on July 25, and another fatality in Jaisalmer on August 3 due to the collapse of a school gate. Subsequently, the education department conducted a statewide survey, which revealed that 5,667 schools were in a dilapidated condition, with the highest numbers reported from Banswara, Udaipur and Jhalawar. The survey also flagged over 17,000 school toilets as completely unsafe. Officials indicated that the state may seek additional financial support from the Centre, with discussions already underway. The high court has asked the government to provide an updated status report in the next hearing scheduled for March 28. The latest fund approval from the Centre is expected to accelerate the state's efforts to address critical infrastructure gaps and improve safety standards in schools....