West Bengal Audits School Lands Amid Teachers' Concerns

The West Bengal government has initiated an audit of the landed properties of state-run and state-aided schools. The move, directed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, aims to create a databank of immovable assets. However, some teachers express concerns about the government's real intentions.

The West Bengal government has embarked on an initiative to catalog the landed properties of state-run and state-aided schools. This effort, as explained by Education Minister Bratya Basu, is aimed at creating a comprehensive databank of school immovable assets.

The directive follows an order from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who called for an audit of land under the control of various state departments during a recent administrative meeting at the state secretariat, Nabanna. Consequently, the school education department has commenced the audit process for primary, upper-primary, secondary, and higher secondary institutions.

Despite assurances from the government, this move has sparked unease among some educators. Swapan Mondal, General Secretary of Bangiyo Sikshak and Siksha Karmi Samity, questioned the sudden decision and raised concerns about potential impacts on schools' autonomy. Meanwhile, the education minister has maintained that the state does not intend to interfere with the functions of educational institutions. A higher education official additionally noted that state universities have not yet been asked to provide details about their immovable assets.

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