Kerala Govt School Headmaster Takes Rs 2 Lakh Loan to Provide Mid-day Meals to Students – News18

The headmaster of a government-aided school has taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh to provide mid-day meals for the students. The state government has said that the central government has not given the funds for the year and that has led to this situation.

J P Anish, the headmaster of Vidyadhiraja LPS, Karakulam in Thiruvananthapuram has taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh from the cooperative bank to pay the bills for the shops providing vegetables and essentials for the mid-day meals in the school. The school has 600 students.

According to the headmaster they have not got cash for this academic year for the midday meals. The government provides Rs 8 per child for a day to provide midday meals. The meals are being given to children till class 8.

The headmaster added that in addition to the loan, he had paid another Rs 50,000 from his salary to settle the amount for the months of June, July, and August.

Anish filed a complaint to the AEO (Assistant Education Officer) along with the receipt of the loan that he took. He took the loan on August 27.

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For the midday meal scheme, the central government provides 60 per cent and the state government provides 40 per cent of the total amount. According to the education minister’s office, “In the financial year 2021-22, the second installment of Rs 132 crores was given by the central government later and the state had given the amount on time to the schools. So, when the amount was credited it was taken back by the government. Centre had opposed to this.”

According to the state education minister’s office, they are in correspondence with the union education ministry clarifying that this was the fund already spent by the state government and six letters have been sent.