Delhi Cabinet okays over ₹64 crore as cash subsidy for textbooks

The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved over ₹64 crore for disbursement of cash subsidy to about 11 lakh students of Delhi Government and aided schools for their textbooks and writing material.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said in such a difficult time of the coronavirus pandemic, the Delhi Government wants to limit the disruption caused to education of children as much as possible.

"Through financial assistance, we hope all our children will be able to purchase study material and textbooks and be connected with their studies. Despite financial constraints, we will do everything we can from our side for our children so their studies are not affected," he said.

The Delhi government's Directorate of Education anually provides textbooks and cash through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to school students of government and aided schools in classes one to eight and cash subsidy to students of classes nine to 12.

"The Delhi cabinet approved the financial transactions related to some key initiatives. It includes financial aid in the form of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the government and aided school students for textbooks and writing material," an official statement said.

Besides, funds have been allocated to Delhi Bureau of Textbooks to publish and distribute support materials, student diary, workbooks, material related to happiness curriculum and mental maths, it said.

"The Delhi Government has approved ₹64.37 crore for incurring expenditure towards disbursement of cash subsidy for the students of government and aided schools. In addition to that, the Cabinet also approved the setting up of Project Management Unit to examine fee hike proposal by private schools on government land for the year 2018-19 and 2019-20," the statement added.

Under 'Free Supply of Textbook supplies and Material 2020-2021', an additional recurring expenditure of ₹30.05 crore has been allocated.

"Under this provision, supply of allied material, workbooks, mental maths material, teacher diary including nursery and KG textbooks to the government and aided schools will be made by Delhi Bureau of Text books (DBTB).

"In addition to these financial schemes, the Cabinet approved two NICSI empanelled firms to set up PMU with reputed Charted Accountants to examine fee hike proposal of private recognized unaided schools on government land in Delhi. This will enable faster disposal of the proposal for fee hike submitted by the schools for the session 2018-19 and 2019-20," the statement said.