Ludhiana: Fund delays force govt schools to run mid-day meal scheme on credit

Teachers said they have been purchasing essential ingredients on credit from local vendors to keep the programme running

akanksha.attri@hindustantimes.com

Deputy district education officer (elementary) Manoj Kumar acknowledged the delay and said food grains had already been arranged. (HT File)

Government schools have been running the Mid-Day Meal scheme on credit after the release of funds was delayed since May, leaving school authorities struggling to ensure that students continue to receive meals without interruption.

The issue has surfaced barely a month after government schools reopened for the new academic session. While schools resumed classes as scheduled, they have not received the financial assistance required to operate the Mid-Day Meal scheme. Teachers said they have been purchasing essential ingredients on credit from local vendors to keep the programme running.

Sukhdhir Singh Sekhon, head teacher of Government Primary School, Moti Nagar, said the situation has become increasingly difficult. “We have neither received food grains nor Mid-Day Meal funds since May. We have been borrowing essential ingredients on credit to ensure that children continue to receive meals,” he said.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is aimed at improving child nutrition by serving free cooked meals to children enrolled in government and aided schools.

Another government school teacher said delays in the release of Mid-Day Meal funds have become a recurring problem. “For a few months, the funds were being released on time, but now the delays have started again. We cannot stop serving meals because students depend on them, so schools are left with no option but to manage on credit or pay out of their own pockets,” the teacher said.

Deputy district education officer (elementary) Manoj Kumar acknowledged the delay and said food grains had already been arranged. He added that the pending funds are expected to be released next week. According to him, the delay occurred due to the implementation of the single nodal agency account system for fund disbursement.