Nagpur: After a lot of row by MESTA over pending funds, finally State Government has sanctioned Rs 138.28 crore for 25 per cent admission. The amount has already been deposited in the account of Education Director of Pune. It will soon be given to the schools giving admission under RTE. A fund of about Rs 100 crores was sanctioned in 2017-18. The state government has instructed the Education Director that only those schools in district be given which are in great demand and a list be prepared of these and the funds be distributed.
He has further instructed that these funds be used for RTE schools only and the district should upload the list of admission on the NIC portal. For the Nagpur district nearly Rs 29 crores have been okayed out of the total Rs 138 crores which the Education Officer will receive on 31 March and the it will be distributed. A few months back the school were distributed Rs 11.92 crores received for Nagpur district. According to MESTA District Secretary Kapil Umale the funds were distributed but not Rs 50 lakhs. Only Rs 11.43 crores were distributed. Umale said that they had spoken to the Education Officer.
Talking about the funds, Education office Dipendra Lokhande said that this fund will be distributed among nearly 622 schools. Out of the 138 crores sanctioned 29 crores will be deposited in the account and then distributed. Informing about the Rs 11.29 crores, Lokhande said, the entire amount has been distributed to the schools. Refuting MESTA’s charge that Rs 50 lakhs have not be distributed, he said that the entire amount has been distributed.
Expressing his displeasure over RTE fund and admission process RTE Action Committee Chairman Mohammad Shahid Sharif said that even after getting the funds for the school the directors of the schools are refusing admission. He alleged that there is demand for money from parents. The committee has received many complaints regarding this. He has demanded strict action against such schools.
