The central government’s sponsored Mid-day meal (MDM) scheme, under which lunch is provided to government school students up to class 8, is turning into a nightmare for the teachers who look after it.
A number of government teachers, who hold the charge of Mid-day meal scheme in their schools, while talking to Greater Kashmir on the condition of anonymity, said, “The poor response of authorities towards clearance of old liabilities is putting us through severe psychological pressure.”
“In the last three sessions, that is 2015-16, 16-17 and 17-18, payments to the teachers, who buy the ingredients from their own pocket to be reimbursed later by the government, are still pending for several months. The government owes some teachers even more than Rs 50,000,” a teacher said.
Another teacher, who is the in-charge of that scheme at a government middle school in Rajouri zone said, “The government owes me more than Rs 70,000 for running the mid-day meal scheme. I face a lot of financial burden as my salary is not sufficient. Besides, the salary to SSA teachers remains pending for several months. It all just adds to the stress.”
Sharing details, he said, “For the 2015-16 session, I am yet to receive payment from the government for one month. Also, the government owes me three months money from December 2015 to February 2016. For the 2016-17 session, the government still hasn’t reimbursed me for one month of food for primary level classes and three months for middle classes, starting from December 2016 to February 2017.”
He further mentioned that the government has failed to reimburse him for food provided to four months for primary classes and five months for middle level in the 2017-18 session.
“I am yet to receive payment of more than Rs 90,000 up to August 2017, but I am worried about the Rs 70,000 which is the liability of few months of three different sessions. On top of all this, the department has not assured me that my payments will be cleared,” he claimed.
Another teacher, holding charge of the scheme in a school in Rajouri zone said, “A number of teachers are running the scheme with zeal. It is not their job as they are only responsible for teachings students. They perform the additional work without any fuss, but the government fails to clear the pending liabilities. It has put everyone in a state of trauma.”
Another teacher from Bal-Jarallan zone hinted towards lack of coordination between zonal education offices and office of the chief education officer. He said, “On one hand, officials posted at ZEO office claim that they are yet to receive the pending payments for several months of the mid-day meal scheme from the 2015-16 session onwards. On the other hand, the CEO office states that all payments have been provided to ZEOs and there is no liability except for the last few months of the present session, 2018-19.”
“Earlier, we were waiting that the higher authorities will provide the necessary funds, but now since we hear different statements from ZEO and CEO offices, we fear for our hard earned money,” another teacher of Nowshera zone said.
The teachers urged upon the higher authorities to conduct an audit of pending payments and to clear the liabilities at an earliest, so that the teachers are not put through added stress.
Chief education officer Rajouri Lal Hussain, while talking to Greater Kashmir, hinted towards some more problems in the implementation of mid-day meal scheme in the district. He, however, said, “There is a liability of around Rs 72 lakh in the scheme. It stands projected before the higher authorities, who will take a call on it soon.”