Bengaluru: Unions hail school kits for kids of workers, question 'high' costs

Bengaluru: While the state Cabinet’s decision on Thursday to provide school kits to 1.3 lakh children of registered building and other construction workers at a total cost of Rs 115.84 crore has been welcomed, concerns have risen over ‘exorbitant’ prices (average of Rs 8,800 per kit) and potential ‘misappropriation of funds’. 

According to a document by the labour department, students have been divided into three categories (grades 1-5, 6-8 and 9-12), and will get separate kits. The government has estimated that each kit for students in grades 1-5 costs Rs 8,625.35 (total 39.18 crore for 45,000 students).

Each kit for grades 6-8 Rs 8,199.24 (Rs 28.98 crore for 35,000 students). Those for students in grades 9-12 costs Rs 9,535.63 apiece (Rs 47.67 crore for 50,000 students).

Overall expenditure for the three categories comes to Rs 115.84 crore for 1.3 lakh students. The kits are being purchased from state-owned Mysuru Sales International Limited (MSIL). 

Mahantesh K, general secretary of Karnataka Building and Construction Workers’ Federation, welcomed the decision to provide school kits, but raised concerns.

“There are many corruption charges regarding their (construction workers’ board) previous procurements. If they really have concern for kids, they must ensure there is no corruption in the procuremernt of the school kits”. 

He said Rs 8,000-9,000 per kit was exorbitant and urged the government to reveal all items included in the kit. 

“Earlier, laptops were procured for children (of construction workers). They purchased them at rates higher than those prevailing in the market. In Hubballi, 105 laptops belonging to the labour department were stolen,” Mahantesh charged.

A senior official in the department contested Mahantesh’s charges, claiming that the kits included several items necessary for students.

“Each kit will have around 20 items. They include pencils, pens, notebooks (100 and 200 pages), mathematics tables book, graph book, bag, maps, geometry box, lunch box, water bottle, umbrella, raincoat and so on”.

However, the department’s official document does not mention the contents. It only says the kit will include “different books and writing accessories needed for students’ educational progress”.  

The officer said the department was purchasing accessories from MSIL to ensure brand value. “We have checked the rates. The online prices are actually Rs 500-600 higher”. 

According to the department’s note, it held a meeting with MSIL on April 18 to get the quoted prices reducedd.

“Accordingly, MSIL reconsidered the rates and submitted revised quotations on April 21,” the note adds.