Students in North Delhi Municipal Corporation schools will go without notebooks for at least two more months with the municipal education committee deciding to go ahead with a tender for the notebooks instead of distributing ₹300 in lieu of the delayed procurement.
On September 9, a civic body official had informed the standing committee that since the procurement of notebooks had been unduly delayed, a decision had been taken to distribute ₹300 per student instead.
The move was, however, opposed by the chairperson of the education committee, Ritu Goel. “Even if we distribute cash, it will reach them only after three months. This way at least a habit will form with the officials and we will have a contract in place for the next two years,” she said.
Raising the issue in the standing committee meeting on Wednesday, BJP councillors complained about the inability of the corporation to provide students facilities. “If we are not able to give students copies or uniforms, what is the point of running these schools,” asked one councillor.