A few government school heads have written to their respective block primary education officers (BPEOs), highlighting pending dues arising from the non-release of funds under the mid-day meal scheme since May. They have also informed that schools were being forced to procure essential food items on credit from local vendors to ensure that meals continued to be served to students.
The school authorities said they had been purchasing grains and other essential items required for preparing the meals on credit to ensure students continued receiving cooked food. With payments yet to be released, schools have been left with mounting dues to local suppliers, prompting head teachers to formally bring the matter to the notice of their respective BPEOs.
Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers’ Union and head teacher at Government Primary School (GPS), Mangli Uchi, said schools had not received funds since May. “We have been borrowing essential ingredients from local shopkeepers so that children’s meals are not affected. Schools cannot allow the scheme to stop, but the delay is creating serious financial difficulties,” he said.
Sukhdhir Singh Sekhon, head teacher of GPS, Moti Nagar, said his school was also facing a shortage of foodgrains, adding to the difficulties in running the scheme. Under the mid-day meal scheme, students in government and aided schools are provided free cooked meals. The government provides ₹6.78 per child for primary classes and ₹10.17 for middle classes.
School heads said the delay had left them dependent on local suppliers and credit arrangements to keep the meals running. They said they feared that continued non-release of funds could eventually force schools to stop serving mid-day meals.
{{/usCountry}}School heads said the delay had left them dependent on local suppliers and credit arrangements to keep the meals running. They said they feared that continued non-release of funds could eventually force schools to stop serving mid-day meals.
{{/usCountry}}Teachers attributed the delay in payments to the transition from the public financial management system (PFMS) to the single nodal agency-SPARSH (SNA-SPARSH) portal.
Deputy district education officer (elementary) Manoj Kumar said, “Training has been conducted for accountants and BPEOs at the head office regarding the new system. Funds will be released soon,” he said.