Madrasa students in Gorakhpur to miss midday meal

GORAKHPUR - Students of ‘madrasas’ in Gorakhpur are not getting the benefits of the central government’s Mid-Day Meal scheme.

There are eight recognized madrasas in the district with almost 1,800 students but they have not been able to avail of the government programme, even as other government-run and government-aided primary education institutes in the district are drawing the benefits of the scheme.

Officials complain that the local administration is not releasing the fund.

They contend that the district administration did not include madrasas under the mid-day meal scheme in 2007 when it was made available to recognized schools of the district.

“It is such a pity that our poor madrasa students could not get benefited from this mid-day meal scheme.We should be o given it. But for last three years, no action has been taken and madrasa children did not have the benefit,” said Mohammad Riyazuddin Kadiri, a teacher of Darul Uloom Hussainia Madrasas.

The local administration, however, says that the management of the madrasas did not provide their bank details for the transfer of funds.

“We tried to tie up with the management of the madrasas but till now we have not got the details from the management, that in which account are funds needed to be transferred, along with account number - we have not been provided anything.\,” said Sarvadanand, Basic Education Officer of Gorakhpur.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is an initiative of the Central Government under which lunch is provided to students free of cost. (ANI)