Chhattisgarh HC orders state to grant books, uniform instead of cash to BPL students

The Chhattisgarh High Court on 18 September 2017 ordered the state government to grant books and uniform instead of cash to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) students studying in private schools under Right to education.

The High Court issued the order to the Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh Government, stating that the government should start providing free uniforms, textbooks, and stationery to BPL children studying in private schools from the present session.

The decision was taken by a divisional bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan and Justice Sharad Kumar Gupta while hearing a PIL.

In the PIL, the petitioners had stated that the state government was granting only Rs 650 per year instead of providing free books, uniforms and other stationary items. It stated that the amount provided by the government was not sufficient for BPL students studying in private schools to buy books and uniform.