The Hindu : Has the scheme run aground?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Has the scheme run aground?

By Our Staff Correspondent

MADIKERI July 15. The Akshara Dasoha Scheme in Kodagu appears to have run aground, though enough funds have been released. There have been complaints of non-availability of utensils, foodgrains, and cooks to either start or continue the midday meal scheme, which was launched on July 1. The Government has released Rs.1.50 lakh to the district under the programme.

There were complaints about three students of a primary school in Kudige in Somwarpet taluk falling ill after eating food cooked in the school under the scheme recently. However, the nodal officer of the programme, Machado, clarified on Tuesday that the children had fever. The food had not affected other students. The programme, which began on a sedate note in the Government Primary School here, has come to a grinding halt. The reason: Funds to purchase condiments and vegetables were not released by the authorities concerned. Similar complaints were likely to come from rural centres. Shortage of cooks and utensils are said to have hampered the scheme in almost the entire district.

Asked about the shortage of cooking utensils and cooks, the DDPI, S.Suryanarayana, said almost all schools in the district would be given cooking utensils and LPG stoves and cylinders by Friday. He admitted that shortage of firewood had affected the implementation of the scheme.

Mr. Machado said there were 395 schools in the district, of which 387 had cooking centres.

There were 16 schools with a student strength of over 300. Drinking water supply was satisfactory. Mr. Suryanarayana added that drinking water facility was provided to 138 schools under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. In other schools, storage facilities were being created to ensure clean water. He, however, claimed more than 70 per cent success under the scheme in the district. The district administration, on the other hand, has failed to provide adequate information on the scheme. When information was sought by presspersons last week, the Deputy Commissioner, Srikant Valagad, said he was collecting details. However, there is no information yet on its implementation.

A sum of Re.1 per student per day is spent under the scheme for cooking oil, salt, LPG, condiments and others, apart from rice that is supplied free by the Centre. As many as 37,880 students studying in standards I to VIII in the district are covered under the scheme.

The Virajpet Taluk Panchayat has decided to construct 47 kitchens in the current plan and most of the schools had space, which could be converted into kitchens.

Mr. Suryanarayana said the scheme could be effective in checking the dropout rate, particularly in rural areas.

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