The Hindu : Problems plague Akshara Dasoha scheme

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 21, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Problems plague Akshara Dasoha scheme

By Sharath S. Srivatsa

MYSORE SEPT. 20. The Akshara Dasoha scheme might have succeeded in bringing 20,000 children back to school in the district. But the Government is yet to address the problems being faced by the district administration in implementing the scheme.

It is learned that the Government is yet to respond to the pleas made by the district administration in July seeking additional funds to implement the scheme more effectively. The officials concerned reveal that the administration had prepared a report listing the problems that required immediate attention and submitted it to the Government. But the latter is yet to respond to it.

According to statistics, the scheme is benefiting more than 1.9 lakh students in 1,901 schools in the district. About 1,815 kitchens have been set up to cook food for the children under the scheme.

It is learnt that the Deputy Commissioner had written to the Commissioner of Public Instruction seeking funds to overcome the problems being faced in implementing the scheme. Letters in this regard where also written to the commissioners of the Revenue Department and the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

However, the Government is yet to respond to the pleas, according to sources.

Problems

Of the 1,901 schools in the district, 1,169 schools have water connection and 924 schools have power supply. More than 1,700 schools do not have kitchens.

It is said that the Deputy Commissioner had sought Rs. 15.76 lakh to continue the scheme. The sum was calculated taking into account the funds released to purchase stoves, utensils, and weighing instruments under a package announced by the Government. The administration, which termed the package impractical, suggested three ways of overcoming the financial constraints with regard to the implementation of the scheme. According to the administration, the funds being provided now will be sufficient only if the quality of the food being served to the children is compromised. Otherwise, the Government has to consider reducing the number of kitchens or the number of stoves, utensils, and other items to be bought under the scheme to cook food.

However, the district administration has made it clear that the quality of food provided under the scheme will suffer if any of the suggestions are accepted, according to sources.

Among others, the administration has referred to the non-availability of separate rooms to start kitchens in schools. According to statistics, not even 10 per cent of the schools in the district have an extra room to spare for the kitchen.

With the Government fixing the strength of the kitchen staff and restricting the number of utensils based on the number of students, both big and small schools have their own problems.

Schools having a strength of more than 800 students are facing a shortage of staff and utensils. On the other hand, one person is appointed as a cook in schools with a strength of less than 25 students. His responsibilities include cooking food as well as maintaining records and, in his absence, the scheme is temporarily suspended.

While centralised kitchens have been established to supply food to several schools, it is learnt that the Government has not released funds to transport food to schools. The administration notes that this problem can be overcome only be setting up separate kitchens, or if the Government provides transport allowance to supply food to the schools.

A senior official of the district administration told The Hindu that the problems were genuine and required urgent attention. He said that though the administration was facing a funds crunch, the scheme was being implemented mainly due to liberal assistance from the public. Even the school development and monitoring committees (SDMCs) and the gram panchayats had been asked to assist the local schools in implementing the scheme, he said.

The official said the problems would be placed again before the Government in the appraisal report on the implementation of the scheme.

ON the problems related to using LPG cylinders, he said the administration had not made the use of LPG cylinders mandatory. If firewood was locally available, it could be used to cook food, he added.

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Problems plague Akshara Dasoha scheme