Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to ensure increase in enrollment of children in schools, the state Government has decided to provide transport cost for children going to schools with distance exceeding 1 km radius.

A decision to this effect was taken at review meeting held at the Secretariat here after the Government decided to close 966 schools across the state having less than 10 students.

As per the development, students of these 966 schools will be relocated to other schools within one kilometre radius. If the distance exceeds 1 km, travel expense will be given to parents of the children. The cash amount will be given to the parents for 10 months in a year, informed School and Mass Education Minister Sameer Ranjan Dash.

While school students having more than 75 per cent attendance will get Rs 600 as travel expense per month, Rs 400 per month will given to students with 50-75 per cent attendance.

Besides, Rs 300 transport cost will be provided to students, whose attendance rate stands between 30 and 50 per cent, the Minister added.