Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond on Thursday raised serious concerns over delays in supplying school uniforms to students in several parts of the state. During a review meeting with senior departmental officials, he instructed that strict action be taken against self-help groups (SHGs) that failed to meet the uniform distribution deadlines.
Speaking to the media, Minister Gond reported that more than 80 percent of students across the state have already received their uniforms for the current academic year. However, he acknowledged that a few districts still lag in completing the process despite the clear timelines issued earlier by the department.
Officials briefed the minister that the primary cause of the delays was late delivery from certain SHGs responsible for uniform supply in select schools.
Defaulting SHGs to Be Replaced to Ensure Timely Delivery
Taking strong note of the issue, Minister Gond directed the department to terminate the assignments of SHGs unable to supply uniforms on time. Their responsibilities will now be reassigned to alternative groups or agencies to prevent any further inconvenience to students.
He also instructed district-level authorities to accelerate the remaining distribution and maintain close monitoring to avoid any additional lapses.
Monitoring to Continue Until All Students Receive Uniforms
The minister confirmed that monitoring efforts will continue until all pending areas complete uniform distribution. District education officials have been asked to submit frequent progress reports and ensure that every eligible student receives a uniform without procedural delays.
Uniform distribution remains an essential component of Odisha’s school support initiative, aimed at reducing economic barriers and ensuring equal access to education for children across government schools.
