Haryana schools yet to receive funds guaranteed under transport scheme

Eight months after it was first launched, the Haryana government’s safe transport scheme for girls, called Chhatraa Parivahan Suraksha Yojna, for students of classes 9-12 has hit a roadblock—reimbursements. Even as the department plans to revive the scheme and has sought fresh budget estimates, schools await pending reimbursements from last year.

While many schools said they couldn’t withdraw the sanctioned sum because of a technical error, others said they were never sanctioned the amount and had to pool money on their own so girls could continue their education.

“Last year, the carpool service worked for three months, but the budget didn’t arrive. This year, the department has sought a fresh list of students,” Neeru Yadav, principal of Government Senior Secondary School Mokalwas in Farrukhnagar said, adding that her school had used money from the Parents Teachers Association fund and contributed some amount from their own pockets to pay students who had opted for the scheme.

“Girls in our school come from villages that are 7-8 kilometres away. Proper implementation of the scheme will help them. However, we are not sure if and when last year’s funds will be reimbursed. I don’t think any school has received funds under the scheme,” Yadav said.

Poonam Arora, principal of Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Badshahpur said, her students travel long distances to avoid co-educational schools. “Students will get an incentive if they do not have to pay from their own pockets,” she said, adding that her school has shared the fresh budget, but awaits last year’s reimbursement.

Aimed at easing a girl’s journey to school and thus incentivizing education, the scheme requires schools to seek enrollment and urge parents/guardians to start carpooling for their wards and other neighbourhood students. Each student is entitled to a monthly budget calculated on the basis of the distance travelled at the rate of ₹4 per km per day per student. This sum is transferred directly to students’ existing accounts through the Public Financial Management System.

Started in November last year, the scheme continued for three months, till January, in 16 schools of Sohna and Farrukhnagar. At least 375 students from seven government schools in Sohna and 263 students from nine government schools in Farrukhnagar benefited from the scheme.

While ₹9.69 lakh needs to be reimbursed to schools in Sohna, ₹6.81 lakh needs to go to Farrukhanagar schools.

Rajesh Kumar, principal of Government Senior Secondary School in Kherli Lala, said some schools couldn’t withdraw the funds due to an error at the Directorate’s end.

“We were told that funds were transferred, but we couldn’t withdraw them. They said there was an error at the Directorate’s end. As and when the budget is allocated, we will disburse it,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, block education officer Saroj Kumari assured that funds for last year would be disbursed soon, but could not clarify when. “We have sent the demand for allocation of funds for last year and have sought demand for this year as well. Once the budget arrives, it will be disbursed,” Kumari said.

First Published: Jul 24, 2019 09:38 IST