Construction at government schools halted as education department lacks funds

A school principal from Ludhiana, upon requesting anonymity, revealed that the block primary education officer (BPEO) asked them to not generate PPA

Government schools have been waiting for nearly a month for money ,to keep the regular maintenance works, due to a lack of funds with the state education department.

As the school has more students and less space to accommodate them, it is important for them to get the extra room ready for the coming session. School officials have barely kept the work going from their own pockets as they lack funds. (HT photo)

Construction work is on at a smart senior secondary school in Ludhiana. As the school has more students and less space to accommodate them, it is important for them to get the extra room ready for the coming session. School officials have barely kept the work going from their own pockets as they lack funds.

“We are for now using money out of our own pocket, but that can’t go on for long,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

He revealed that physical payment advices (PPAs) worth ₹3 to 4 lakh were pending.

The education department has ordered the schools to stop generating PPAs, a receipt generated in the public financial management system (PFMS).

PFMS is a portal used by the Centre to directly send funds to schools so that they can use them. After the allocation, the schools can directly access these funds earmarked under various heads. After a particular work is done, the school initiates a transfer of funds to the vendor on the portal and generates a PPA, which then has to be submitted to the bank that carries the school account and the payment is completed after verification.

A school principal from Ludhiana, upon requesting anonymity, revealed that the block primary education officer (BPEO) asked them to not generate PPA.

“We had generated a few PPAs to the tune of ₹1 lakh. First, we saw the figure deducted on PFMS, but since we didn’t submit the PPA, the amount started reflecting in the portal. I don’t understand it. If we have the funds, why can’t we use it?” the official said.

A BPEO from the district, not wanting to reveal his identity, confirmed this. He claimed that the department had directed them to make the schools withhold payments. “Had it been a technical problem it would have been resolved in a couple of days,” he said.

While confirming the issue director general of school education, Punjab, Vinay Bublani, said, “This was due to the pending disbursement of funds from the Centre under the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan.”

“We are waiting for the third and fourth instalments for the current year and only after we get those funds, the system can work. We have even written to Centre to expedite the process and expect the funds in a few days,” he said.

The centre had given around ₹1300 crore for the current financial year. 50 per cent of which, Bublani claimed, had been utilised.