Ludhiana, Sept. 19 -- The ambitious Smart School Project, launched to modernise 74 government schools in the district, has come under severe strain due to delays in the release of funds. Schools which took up construction and repair work under the scheme are now left grappling with heavy debts as only a fraction of the promised money has reached them, say school heads.

The repair and maintenance of infrastructure in existing government schools scheme was announced by the state government in November 2023. According to the plan, Rs.1 lakh per classroom was sanctioned for 47 primary schools and 27 senior secondary schools. The distribution was structured to cover three classrooms for each primary school, five for high schools and seven for...