Over 60% students of govt schools given free uniform

Tribune News Service

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Shimla, August 12

The Himachal government, which failed to provide free school uniforms to students of government schools during 2018-19, has finally started the process for students from classes I to X and released money for depositing stitching charges of Rs 200 per student for two sets of uniforms for 2019-20. An amount of Rs 12.79 crore has been released for stitching which would be directly deposited online in the bank accounts of the students. 

Distribution of uniforms for 2019-20 is already in process. Over 60 per cent students have been provided free uniforms while the distribution of uniforms to students of summer closing schools is under way, said Director, Elementary Education Rohit Jamwal. The government provides cloth for the uniforms and pays stitching charges to the students.

The number of students eligible for free uniforms from classes I to X is 6,71,726. The tenders have been approved for three years. The distribution of uniforms for 2020-21 would be done on time at the start of the session, sources in Education Department said.

The government had cancelled the tender process following complaints about the quality of product and decided to invite fresh bids for purchase of uniform for three consecutive years (2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21) but one academic session was already over while the current session is nearly half way through.

However, the government distributed free textbooks to students of both winter and summer closing schools right at the start of the academic session.

The students from classes I to X would get two sets of uniform while girl students from classes VI to X will also be given “dupattas.” Besides, free school bags would be given to students of classes I, III, VI and IX for the first time.

Earlier, the government was supplying free uniforms to students of classes I to X under the Mahatma Gandhi Vardi Yojana and students of classes 

XI and XII under the Mukhyamantri Vardi Yojana, but now both schemes have been merged into the Atal Vardi Yojana.