Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): In Dhar district, around 250 hostels under the Tribal Development Department are struggling to provide basic amenities to their students.
Despite receiving a budget of crores of rupees last year, many hostels failed to distribute essential items like mattresses, pillows, bed sheets and blankets to their students. These items are typically distributed to new students in July, but many hostels have not done so, citing the lack of a new budget this year.
As a result, thousands of students are being deprived of these basic necessities. According to sources, the concerned principals and block education officers are not taking action to address this issue and instead, are waiting for the new budget to arrive. This has led to a situation where last year's materials are not being distributed and new ones are not being purchased.
Assistant commissioner of Tribal Development Department, Brajkant Shukla, expressed surprise at the situation and promised to investigate the matter. He emphasised that every year, new students are admitted to the hostels and it is the responsibility of the hostel superintendent to provide them with basic amenities.
Around 5,000 to 7,000 children take admission in these 250 hostels and they are now facing difficulties due to the lack of these essential items. The situation highlights the need for better management and coordination between the authorities to ensure that students receive the basic amenities they deserve.