Chennai, Apr 13 (IANS): French development agency AFD will support the funding of 28 smart classrooms in Chennai.

The classrooms are to be developed in Royapuram, Thiruvanmiyur, and Adyar.

Of the Rs 95.25 crore budget, the French development agency will fund Rs 76.20 crore. Remaining Rs 19.05 crore will be funded by Chennai Smart City Limited.

Development of hard and soft infrastructure for smart classrooms will form a part of the project. The smart classrooms are developed by the City Investments To Innovate Integrate and Sustain (CIITS).

Chennai corporation Mayor R. Priya while speaking to IANS said: "The enrolment has increased in Chennai schools from 85,000 to 1.3 lakh. Students will get free education in the smart classrooms in 281 Chennai schools with 2,731 teachers. Twenty-eight smart classrooms will be developed at a cost of Rs 95.25 crore of which Rs 76.20 crore will be funded by AFD the French Development Agency and Chennai Smart City will fund Rs 19.05 crore."

She said that the work of a smart classroom is underway in Chennai Primary School on Cemetry road in the Royapuram zone at an estimated cost of Rs 4.53 crore.

R. Priya who is the first Dalit woman Mayor of Greater Chennai Corporation said that empowerment of the downtrodden and women are her priority and that education is the best tool for such empowerment.