Now free shoes for Odisha school children!

Bhubaneswar: There is good news for children studying in government-run schools in Odisha, the State government is planning to provide them with free shoes along with uniforms and books which it is already providing for free.

If sources are to be believed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is likely to make the announcement in this regard on Children’s Day.

Earlier, on the basis of Right to Education Act-2009 and Right to Education Rules-2010 National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairperson Stuti Kacker had suggested Chief Secretary A P Padhi for inclusion of shoes in school uniform.

Subsequent to Kacker’s suggestion to the Chief Secretary, School and Mass Education Department had written a letter to State Project Director of Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA).

The School and Mass Education Department had in its letter asked the Project Director to find out whether amount for providing shoes can be spent from the Sarva Sikshya Abhiyaan funds, whether shoes can be provided from the current academic year and how much funds will be required for inclusion of shoes in uniform and inform accordingly.