School buildings in Odisha to get makeover; Oppn sees red over saffron colour scheme
Bhubaneswar, March 6 (IANS) The Chief Minister Mohan Majhi-led Odisha government has approved a new colour code for government schools in the state and directed all District Collectors to implement the changes. The transformation will also extend to PM Shri Schools, which will see a shift from their current colour scheme to orange and red. This move has not gone down well with the Opposition parties in the state.
The Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) has issued directives to all the District Collectors to ensure uniformity in the colour scheme across all government schools.
According to an official letter from the State Project Director of OSEPA, the outer walls of government schools will be painted orange, with red borders, ensuring a consistent look across all institutions.
“It is requested to issue suitable instructions to concerned field functionaries for adoption of the approved colour code in all government schools, including PM Shri schools, during construction, repair and renovation works.
“This order would be in supersession of all previous instructions related to the colour code of school buildings,” reads the letter.
The Odisha government had earlier also issued directions regarding the change of the secondary school uniform from white and green, a colour linked with the 24-year rule of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), to maroon and clay bake yellow.
Following the change in the government, various public institutions across Odisha are undergoing colour transitions.
Last October, the Works Department instructed that government office buildings be painted saffron. Now, in continuation of this policy, all government school buildings will also adopt the saffron colour.
The BJP government after assuming power in Odisha first ordered colour change for the Location Accessible Multi-Modal Initiative (LAccMI) buses, a public transportation services.
The decision has sparked debates, with Opposition voices claiming that the ruling BJP is replacing the schemes and colours introduced by the previous BJD government.
The government maintained that these changes are part of its effort to reintroduce and restructure existing public services in a fresh, updated manner.
Apart from the repainting of school buildings, student uniforms and other school-related elements will also see modifications in design and colour.
Speaking over the Opposition’s criticism on the issue, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo said, “They (BJD) are daydreaming even while awake. They couldn’t fulfil Biju Babu’s vision, and now they are dreaming about what the Mohan Majhi government is doing. What can we say about this?”
–IANS
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