NALGONDA: Owing to the State government’s delay in clearing the midday meal (MDM) scheme bills and honorarium, contractors went on a strike starting from Monday. In response to this, State officials have instructed District Educational Officers (DEOs) to ensure that alternative arrangements are made in government schools to prevent students from suffering.
As per the instructions, headmasters of respective schools have been asked to buy groceries, engage cooks and ensure midday meals to students. This step has been taken to mitigate the potential impact on students in case the meals are discontinued due to the strike. But, since the headmasters are facing difficulties in making arrangements, they have asked students to get lunchboxes from home.
This strike has the potential to result in increased dropout rates in government schools, as some economically disadvantaged parents send their children to school mainly because of the availability of meals.
The State government owes Rs 1.3 crore to 1,270 agencies engaged in preparation of midday meals in Nalgonda district. Similarly, in Suryapet, 1,006 agencies are awaiting clearance of bills to the tune of Rs 1.40 crore, and in the Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, 979 agencies are yet to get Rs 1.81 crore. The rising prices of vegetables and essential items, along with the pending bills, have further fuelled the discontent among midday meal organisers, prompting them to launch a protest from Monday.
The demands put forth by the agencies include payment of the honorarium of Rs 3,000 promised by the government from February 2023, cessation of the illegal removal of cooking workers and agencies, issuance of appointment orders and identity cards, provision of eggs and necessary materials, implementation of insurance, provident fund and Employee State Insurance facilities, as well as a minimum monthly salary of Rs 26,000.
Nalgonda DEO Bhikshapati said that in response to the strike notice issued by the agencies, all government school headmasters were instructed to make alternative arrangements to ensure that students do not face any difficulties.If midday meal is not provided to students in any school, action would be taken against the headmaster concerned, the DEO warned.
The headmaster of a government school said if the number of students is less than a hundred, they can manage to arrange meals. However, it becomes challenging to arrange meals in schools with a larger number of students. Grocery shops have also expressed their reluctance to provide items on credit. The headmaster added that the agency responsible for the meals has not cleared dues at various shops, making it difficult to obtain supplies without upfront payment.