KOCHI: The High Court asked the state government to apprise about the time required to refund the head teachers for midday meal schemes in schools. Due to the unavailability of government funds, it was the head teachers in schools who paid for the midday meal scheme. Justice T R Ravi made the statement while considering a petition filed by the Kerala Pradesh School Teachers' Association. The association asked for an increased amount to be allotted for the scheme and beseeched the court to allow the payment in advance to the head teachers in schools. The petition was adjourned to Thursday for a detailed argument.

The single bench taunted the government to stop the scheme if not able to provide the money. The government pleader explained that 60 per cent of the cost of the project would be borne by the central government and 40 per cent by the state government. The pleader later informed the court that the central government failed to fund the program which pushed the scheme to fall apart.

The court in a repartee asked whether the teachers should now run after the central government to get back the funds. The petitioners meanwhile pointed out that the government provides only 50 per cent of the actual cost of school lunches, and expressed worries for the state government failing every time to not pay those promised 50 per cent in full. According to the petition, this has led to severe financial liability for most faculties in schools.

The petitioners raised demands of increasing the amount based on the actual cost of the mid-day meal and providing it at the beginning of the month. If the conditions are not met, the association wants head teachers should be relieved from this duty.