Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala state government spent an extravagant amount of money on the Dr. MA Khader Committee, appointed to recommend reforms in the school education system in Kerala. The printing cost per page of the report prepared by the Dr. M A Khader Committee was around Rs. 1671. However, the Kerala government is delaying disbursing funds for the midday meal program for school students, citing the Kerala state’s financial crisis, which costs only Rs. 8 per student.
The Kerala government has spent more than Rs. 4 lakh on printing alone for the Dr. MA Khader Committee report.
The Kerala state General Education Minister, V Sivankutty, stated in response to the Legislative Assembly question that Rs. 4,17,789 was sanctioned for the DTP expenditures for Part 1, consisting of 125 pages, with an additional Rs. 72,461 sanctioned for printing and Rs. 18,000 for translation. According to reports, the Kerala government has spent Rs. 14,16,814 on the three-member MA Khader Committee so far.
The one-time sitting fee for the Committee’s Chairman was Rs. 2000, and he has received Rs. 1.38 lakh for 69 sittings so far, along with an additional Rs. 67,508 for travel allowance. Committee member Dr. C Ramakrishnan received Rs. 1.52 lakh for 76 sittings and Rs. 16,838 for travel allowance.
Another committee member, Dr. G Jyothichoodan, received Rs. 1.40 lakh for 70 sittings and has not received a travel allowance. Additionally, the Dr. MA Khader Committee received Rs. 1,21,690 for taxi charges.
The second part of the Khader Committee report has not yet been released, but further processes are underway.
However, there are several reports stating that the Teachers Union in Kerala has declared the report of the core committee, tasked with framing special rules in line with the MA Khader committee recommendations on school education, as unacceptable.
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