Bengaluru: This is how the ill-conceived idea of total farm waiver scheme is affecting the popular schemes of the state government. This year the government school students will not get the second pair of uniforms as the central government has cut down the aid under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the state government is, on the other hand saying that it has no money as it is implementing the farm loan waiver scheme.
All started with the central government bringing down the aid under the SSA scheme from last year’s Rs 1,700 crores to just Rs.577 crores. As this amount is used to pay for the salaries of the teachers hired under the SSA scheme and to implement a number of projects like Nali-Kali, Karnataka Darshana etc, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is facing fund shortage to pay for the second set of uniforms. “The department sought the additional allocation from the state finance department, but the farm loan waiver scheme seems to have tied the hands of the finance department too,” said sources familiar with the development.
“The farm loan waiver scheme is the most ill-conceived idea. It is affecting the implementation of all the important existing schemes too,” added an officer.
“The SSA teachers’ salary bill is around Rs. 328 crores. A sum of Rs.80 crores is required for the second set of uniforms. A total of nine lakh students will suffer from the government decision,” he added.