It’s Dec, but UP govt school kids still waiting for sweaters
REASON Edu dept officials say not enough suppliers to make available sweaters in bulk
LUCKNOW: Although nearly half of December has gone by, the state government hasn’t been able to provide sweaters to over 1.5 crore government school students despite making a budgetary provision of Rs 2.35 crore for them.
Education department officials claim there aren’t enough suppliers who can make available sweaters in bulk. “Efforts are on to complete the task at the earliest,” an official said.
“The tender was uploaded on the government e-tender website this month. We understand braving the winter in north India is difficult and regret the inconvenience caused to the students because of the delay,” the official said.
“Each sweater will cost about Rs 200,” he added
Till the time sweaters are made available, students have been asked to come in whatever woollen clothes they have.
No child will be sent back home for not being in uniform. “We cannot compromise on quality and hence are looking forward to a supplier who can provide quality stuff,” the official said.
While basic education minister Anupama Jaiswal is out of the country, senior officials in basic education department did not wish to be quoted when contacted by HT.
The education department had earlier planned to distribute the sweaters by Diwali (in October) because the temperature usually starts dipping after the festival.
But somehow they failed to meet the deadline, sources said.
The model code of conduct for civic elections also delayed the process a little.
But now the state government machinery is working to ensure that students get the sweaters at the earliest.
After the Yogi Adityanath government came to power in March, it decided to do away with the khaki uniform of students of government-run schools in Uttar Pradesh.
They were given a smarter red and brown uniform, instead.
The boys were given brown trousers and red coloured check shirts with a brown collar while the younger girls got brown skirts and red tops with a brown collar.
At the senior level, girl students were given brown salwar, red kurta with a brown dupatta.