With the schools already a month into the winter session and the grant for warm clothes delayed, children can only hope for an early winter vacation.
School authorities in Punjab have been asked by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to provide warm clothes to students of class 1 and 2 on priority basis.
Children from poor families are entitled to receive winter uniforms as part of a scheme funded by the Central government. But students have not received their winter uniform so far, despite the cold having set in.
This is because schools have received only a quarter of the money budgeted for winter uniforms under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan from the Centre. This translates to a meagre Rs 100 instead of Rs 400 per student.
It is bitterly cold in Mohali these days, with day temperature hovering around 16 degrees Celsius. But little ones in Masol village government primary school come to study poorly dressed even in these extreme winter conditions. Some don't have sweaters, many others are without shoes. Almost all belong to the deprived class of the society, worst hit by the shortage of funds for winter uniforms.
The school is barely 12 km from the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister.
"We want to buy sweater, shirt, pant, socks, shoes and cap, but this is not possible at all in Rs 100 budget," said Naresh Kumar, a teacher at the school.
The scheme is meant for 8.72 lakh girls and boys from SC/ST families and those below the poverty line.
"We get the grant for uniforms from Centre. Whatever grant has come, my department has released it. We have initiated the process, will give more once the rest of the money comes," said the Education Minister Dr Daljit Cheema.
With the schools already a month into the winter session and the grant for warm clothes delayed, children can only hope for an early winter vacation.