Govt. sanctions Rs 100 cr for school mid-day meal scheme

Thiruvananthapuram: The government has sanctioned Rs. 100.23 crore for the school mid-day meal scheme. 

The director of Department of general education issued the order in this regard. The move came after the government faced large-scale complaints of arrears running into crores of rupees.

Heads of government and aided schools had complained that they are in deep debt due to the government's refusal to release funds for the scheme for the past three months.

The latest allotted grant will be enough to clear the whole dues till August 10, sources said.

J P Aneesh, the headmaster of Vidyadhiraja lower and pre-primary school, Ettamkallu, Thiruvananthapuram, had written to Assistant Education officer, Nedumangad, citing his inability to continue the scheme as he has to borrow Rs 2.49 lakh to feed the kids. 

Malayala Manorama was the first to publish the news. Some teacher's organisations even threatened to stop the distribution of meals if the government did not allot funds for the same.

According to the State government, lack of support from the Centre created the crisis. It said the Union government has not released the funds. 

However, the Centre, in turn, put the blame on State government saying the details of the money spent under the scheme was not available from the State.

However, the Centre has agreed to make necessary allotment after getting the details in the stipulated format.

The scheme envisages spending 60 per cent of the total expenditure by the Centre and 40 per cent by the State. Presently, the amount has been sanctioned by the State Government and the Central dividend is likely to get soon.