THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister V Shivankutty accused Opposition leader V D Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala of spreading false information. He also confirmed that the 12,038 schools participating in the School Midday Scheme haven't settled their outstanding dues related to the program.

The government has made complete payments for June, July, August, and September. Schools must submit their bills for the current month's expenses to their respective sub-district offices by November 5. The minister explained that after reviewing these bills and relevant documents any pending amounts will be disbursed to the schools within the set timeframe.

As for the kitchen staff responsible for preparing school lunches they have been paid up to August. Measures are being taken to ensure they receive their September salaries promptly. During school closures in the summer the state government grants Rs 2,000 per month to the cooks. An additional Rs 1,300 per month is given as a festival allowance for Onam.

Kerala is recognized for paying the highest wages to kitchen workers but it's a centralized scheme. Sixty percent of the operating costs should be covered by the central government. However, there have been significant delays in the central government's disbursement of their share to the state. They've provided only Rs 54.17 crore out of the expected Rs 170.59 crore as the first installment. The proportionate state share is Rs 30.99 crore yet the government allocated Rs 172.14 crore as the state's share.

The minister emphasized that despite these central neglects, the state government is committed to maintaining this centrally-initiated project without any interruptions.