Bank accounts add power for MBMC students to buy uniforms, stationery

It had become an annual ritual followed by the education department in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) to give uniforms and other material to its students several months after school reopened in June each year.

This despite budgetary allocations amounting more than Rs 2 crore were being made for the purpose every year. However, in an unique initiative in line with the government’s direct subsidy schemes, MBMC chief Dr. Naresh Gite has embarked on a mission to start zero balance join bank accounts of municipal school students and their parents which could be used to transfer subsidies for schoolbags, uniforms, shoes and other stationery items instead of providing the articles from the upcoming academic session. This an a bid to cutdown on unnecessary delays in procurement of educational material.

However, several students particularly from the lower economic strata of the society are finding it difficult to procure much needed documents like Aadhaar card.

“Some parents don’t have any proof of residence. However, we are trying our best to help those who have not been able to open accounts,” said an official. At present around 9,000 students are enrolled with 35-schools run by the education department of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).

While six schools have been elevated till VIII standard and semi-English mode of education has been introduced up to V standard, other schools impart education in languages including Marathi, Urdu, Hindi and Gujarati.