BHAWANIPATNA: Students of State Government run schools in Kalahandi are yet to get uniforms due to delay in sanction of funds. The uniforms should be supplied to the students in July and August. Similarly, funds have not been granted to many schools for the third quarter of academic year for mid-day meal (MDM) scheme.
Last year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced that the Government would provide free uniforms to students of both BPL and APL categories in State-run schools. Under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rs 600 is spent to provide one pair of uniform, a pair of shoes with socks to each student of primary and upper primary schools. In November, only a part allotment of Rs 11.21 crore was received by the district project coordinator of Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) for 8,86,981 students enumerated as per the data of 2017-18 financial year. In 2018-19 financial year, 1,97,000 APL students were added to the list of students eligible for free uniforms and shoes. An additional `60,55,400 is required to meet the total uniform expense of both BPL and APL category students. Sources said unless the entire amount is received, the district primary education office will not be able to allot funds to different schools to purchase uniforms and shoes.
District Project Coordinator of OPEPA in Kalahandi, Gabakhya Naik said OPEPA has been requested for further allotment of funds. “Soon after getting the full allotment, funds will be released to the schools for purchase of uniforms and shoes,” he said.
Incidentally, there was also a delay in allotment of cooking cost of MDM to 2,445 primary and upper primary schools of the district for the third quarter from the State nodal office of MDM.The MDM Cell of District Education Office received the funds for third quarter for MDM on November 15 and it would take some time for disbursement of the money to the schools. “Based on the unspent balance amount of previous quarter, funds are allotted to the schools and funds allotment may take about a fortnight,” said an official. Due to the delay, headmasters and teachers of the schools are facing difficulty in managing the MDM scheme. They are procuring ration on credit from the local market.