Chandigarh, Dec. 13 -- About 30% of works sanctioned over thepast six years to improve government school infrastructure in Punjab under Centre's flagship education sector programme Samagra Shiksha are still pending. According to official data, of the total 18,784 works approved by the Union ministry of education (MoE) in government schools across the state between 2018-19 and 2024-25, 13,433 have been completed while 5,351 remain incomplete. These civil works include the construction of boundary walls, toilets, additional classrooms, ramps with handrail, laboratories, library rooms and major repairs. The central ministry has repeatedly taken up the pending works with the state government. During a meeting last month, where infrastructure in government schools was listed among the major action points, the central ministry also pointed out that out of the 4,167 works sanctioned in the 2025-26 financial year, 4,162 were pending. State officials were requested to expeditiously complete these works and update the progress, according to the minutes of the meeting received by the state government. The meeting, chaired by Sanjay Kumar, secretary, school education and languages, was attended by the secretaries of women and child development, labour and employment, social justice, jal shakti and minority affairs ministries, National Council for Teacher Education vice-chairperson and Punjab's secretary, school education, along with state project director, Samagra Shiksha, and the directors of school education and SCERT. In February 2024 as well, the state authorities were advised by MoE to come up with a concrete plan of action for completing pending civil works for which non-recurring approvals had been granted but which had not been started within the specified time frame. Under the programme framework these are committed liabilities that would become the sole responsibility of the state if not started within time. A school education department official said the state government had given a major push to improvement in physical infrastructure in government schools, along with the quality of education, over the past three years. "The Sikhya Kranti campaign was focused on infrastructure and basic amenities, including new buildings, classrooms, clean drinking water, high-speed WiFi connections, separate toilets for girl and boy students, and desks and chairs were provided. There has been significant improvement in terms of facilities, but this is a continuous process. Civil works involve a tendering process, which takes time," the official said, requesting anonymity. Launched in April 2018, the term of the overarching scheme, which integrated the erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher Education, is till March 31,2026. The central government is considering extending the programme, which covers pre-schools to Class 12, till 2030-31, and is in process of holding discussions with state governments and Union territories to reappraise it for a five-year extension....