Under fire, Bommai approves funds for free shoes, socks

The Congress had targeted the government after B C Nagesh said children do not come to schools for shoes and socks

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced Friday that the government will distribute a pair of shoes and two sets of socks to every student in state-run schools.

The announcement came even as the Bommai administration was under fire for being indecisive on providing shoes and socks to school children for which no funds were set aside in the 2022-23 Budget.

“Today, I have approved Rs 132 crore for shoes and socks. We will give them. There’s no need to create confusion on this,” Bommai told reporters. “When it comes to uniforms, the government has already approved this. Uniforms are being prepared. They will be distributed to students after a while,” he said.

The Congress had targeted the BJP government after School Education & Literacy Minister B C Nagesh reportedly said children do not come to schools for shoes and socks.

The scheme to distribute free shoes and socks was approved in 2015. There are over 50 lakh students studying at government schools in Karnataka.

Before Bommai made the announcement, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar had said that he would raise money for the shoes and socks by begging.

“Let the government say it doesn’t have money. People of Karnataka are kind. I will beg them for money. I will also contribute and get money under corporate social responsibility (CSR),” Shivakumar told reporters.

“Nagesh, who says children don’t come to school for shoes and socks, lacks common sense. Parents would wish for their children to get good shoes and socks,” Shivakumar said. “If shoes and socks aren’t necessary for kids, why does Nagesh wear nice clothes? Let him walk around in a loincloth. Let’s see,” he said.