The Hindu : Akshara Dasoha should be continued: Shankar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Akshara Dasoha should be continued: Shankar

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE July 7. The Akshara Dasoha Scheme to provide free midday meal to government schoolchildren should not be discontinued and the Education Department officials should take measures to set right the anomalies, if any, B.L.Shankar, Chairman, Legislative Council, has said.

Speaking at the inauguration of the renovated building of the Government Girls Model Primary School here on Monday, which has been adopted by the Lions Club of Bangalore West, Mr. Shankar said the scheme should not be stopped as it is for the benefit of poor children.

The field level officers of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, the zilla and taluk Panchayats and the Education Department should be held responsible for the deficiencies in the free midday meal programme. Mr. Shankar said this in the wake of reports of several children from various parts of the State falling ill after eating meals under the scheme.

The project was launched on Tuesday last.

``The drawback only is the lack of commitment from the officers at the district-level. The officers should be aware of their duties and fulfil them,'' Mr. Shankar added.

He condemned the statements made by certain public figures asking the Government to discontinue the scheme and remarked that the scheme had brought children belonging to various castes and religions into a common fold.

Through this, there would be increased attendance of girls, students from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe and backward communities.

He lauded the services of voluntary organisations such as the Lions Club, Rotary and Jaycee and religious maths for providing education to underprivileged children.

The 108-year-old model primary school, which was in a dilapidated condition, was adopted by the Lions Club of Bangalore West and renovated at the cost of Rs.12 lakhs.

The club is also providing free midday meal to the schoolchildren in collaboration with ISKCON. The number of children in the school has gone up to 160 from 80.

K.N.Subba Reddy, MLA, Basavanagudi, Lion T.V.Govindraj, Past District Governor of the Club, and K.G.Subbaraj, President, Lion Club of Bangalore West, were present.

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