Srinagar, Jul 24 (KNO): The education system in Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under severe stress as the ‘collapse’ of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in several districts reveals deeper structural and financial rot.
At the heart of the crisis lies the non-payment of dues and miserably low wages to helpers and cooks, mostly women, entrusted with preparing meals for schoolchildren.
In Bandipora district alone, officials confirm that over rupees 3 crore in payments remain pending under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Teachers and ground-level staff say they have been left to run the scheme on credit, relying on local shopkeepers for essential supplies like vegetables and cooking gas — a goodwill that is fast running out.
“We couldn’t let children go hungry, so we borrowed from shops on personal reputation. But now, shopkeepers have started humiliating us, demanding immediate payments in front of students and colleagues. It’s crushing our dignity, “says a teacher from Bandipora.
The situation has escalated to the point where some teachers are clearing kitchen-related dues out of their own salaries, leaving little to support their families. “We are educators, not debt bearers. How long can we go on like this?” another teacher told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Adding to the misery, women employed as cooks under the scheme staged protests recently in Bandipora, alleging they have not been paid for over a year. When payments are eventually made, they are a meagre Rs 30 per day — barely Rs 900 per month.
With inflation biting and household costs rising, these women say they are no longer able to meet their families’ basic needs.
“If this scheme is shut down, it will hurt the poorest the most. My children eat at school, which reduces pressure on our household. If the meals stop, they will go hungry — and they might stop going to school altogether,” says Abdul Rashid Dar, a parent in north Kashmir.
Reports inform that teachers, already struggling with delayed salaries, are forced to manage dual responsibilities: educating students and feeding them — often without support, resources, or even the basic respect due to professionals.
Educationists warn that unless urgent corrective measures are taken — including timely release of funds, wage revision for cooks, and formal contracts for support staff — the situation could spiral further—(KNO)