Jalandhar, June 19
Over one lakh students belonging to the Backward Class and the Scheduled Caste either going to school without satchels or have been forced to purchase school bags from their own pockets. This is in spite of the release of the requisite funds by the state government and the withdrawal of Rs 50 lakh by the Welfare Department authorities for providing bags to all eligible school-going children.
The ambitious providing satchels to School-Going Children (for SC and BC) Scheme,’ the pilot project of which was initiated in Jalandhar district early this year, envisaged providing school bags to thousands of Scheduled Caste and Backward Class schoolgoing children so as to enable poor students to carry their books with ease.
Under the project, school bags were to be provided to an estimated one lakh school children of Jalandhar district who were eligible and whose parents did not have more than five acres of agricultural land or who were not income tax payees. Another condition was that not more than two students from one family could avail of the benefit.
The bags had to be provided at the start of the academic session or by April 1. But, much to the dismay of students, the bags have not been provided so far, in spite of the fact that the Welfare Department officials had withdrawn an amount of Rs 50 lakh, which was sanctioned by the Punjab State Planning Board on March 27. So much so, that the order for the purchase of 38,461 school bags was placed in the first week of June. But, the purchases have not been made till date.
The delay on the part of the Welfare Department officials allegedly forced a large number of students to purchase their own bags on the one hand and allegedly caused a loss of interest to the government despite clear instructions by the state government that money was to be withdrawn only at the time of payment.
The lack of estimation on the part of the Welfare Department officials resulted in yet another pitfall as despite the broad spectrum of the scheme, under which all eligible students from class I to X were to be extended the facility, the order was placed for just 38,461 school bags. Official sources pointed out that distribution of just 38,461 bags could lead to discrimination as the number of just those eligible students from Class VI to X was 51,300, which means that if the bags were distributed just among students of these five classes a shortfall of 12,839 bags would
be there. Sources, which pointed out that the bags were still not distributed among children despite placing of the purchase order, also maintained that the total number of eligible students from class I to X around one lakh. What is more ironical is that despite inclusion of Backward Class students in the scheme as beneficiaries, the government later “clarified” that the facility would be provided to children belonging to the Scheduled Castes.
When contacted, Mr Charan Dass, District Welfare Officer, admitted delay in providing bags to children. He said his department had sought details of eligible children from the District Education Officer (Secondary). He further said that he would meet the Deputy Commissioner so that the matter could be taken up with the state government for release of more money for the purpose.
