Jharkhand: 9-year-old hunts for Rats, Squirrels, no mid-day meal!

Jharkhand: Pinki Paharin, nine-year-old stays in a remote tribal village in Chuha Pahar located onto the Rajmahal Hills in Sahebganj district of Jharkhand. She joined the primary school located in her village at the age of 5 years.

According to NDTV, According to government data, as she was a registered student of the school money was regularly sanctioned to provide her healthy food that is mid-day meal which includes rice, green leafy vegetables and lentils.  However Pinki does not receives this meal rather she hunts for rats, squirrels and rabbits to feed her.

All over the nation, Rs 10,000 crores was distributed for 10.03 crore children in 11.5 lakh schools in the year’s budget. Each child gets healthy food per day, Rs 4- Rs 6 id given to per child.

The NDTV and video volunteers went to the schools and they found the classes with no students in it, the teachers doesn’t want to come to school due to the roads that are not properly to use any vehicle.One-way journey takes an hour for the villagers in Rajmahal hills and places are surrounded by stone mining

Last year government had set up the SMS-based check to know the truth and facts. In this system school authorities have to send everyday updates of attendance of the students.

This scheme was not followed and reporting team got to know the issue, the school teachers come to school occasionally to sing the national anthem, and to distribute the sweets and to take the pictures to show it to the education department. On Republic day the team went to school.

The teacher said the school is far, his salary is less and incapability to talk in tribal language, when he was asked for his low attendance.

“We get rice supply, we can serve khichdi, but students don’t come. If the teachers come, students would gather in the school and eat,” said Messa Paharia, the village Pradhan.

“The gram sevak does his job. So do the bureaucrats. But the village teacher doesn’t,” he said.

Due to lack of monitoring in the villages, many children like Pinki are suffering from the hunger, infections and malnutrition.