NEW DELHI: A week after the Delhi High Court received a response from the MCD stating that over 2 lakh students studying in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools did not receive direct benefit transfers in the 2023-24 academic year, a social jurist has written to the MCD Commissioner proposing that, for the academic session 2024-25, funds should be disbursed in kind instead of cash/debit.
“It has come to our notice that MCD is contemplating providing uniforms, notebooks, and writing materials through cash/DBT in accounts of nearly 8 lakh students studying in MCD Primary Schools instead of in kind in the academic year 2024-25,” read the letter to the MCD Commissioner.
The jurist further explained that the Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi, has already provided notebooks and writing materials to all its elementary level 10 lakh students in the academic year 2024-25.
“We understand that the Directorate of Education is in the process of providing uniforms also in kind to its students. It is submitted that providing uniforms, notebooks, and writing materials to students in kind is in the best interest of the students. The Commissioner is therefore requested to consider our request to provide uniforms, notebooks, and writing materials to all the 8 lakh students studying in MCD Primary schools in kind instead of cash/direct benefit transfer (DBT) in the academic year 2024-25,” read the letter.
It also stated that if these items are not provided in kind to the students, it has been noticed that parents withdraw money from bank accounts and use it for purposes other than uniforms, notebooks, and writing materials, which is counterproductive.