New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is set to begin disbursing assistance for uniforms and school bags to its students from this week, with about Rs 70 crore to be transferred in the first phase to the accounts of around 5.1 lakh children, officials said on Monday.
The civic body has finalised 6,56,950 students as beneficiaries for the 2026-27 academic session after freezing enrolment data on August 31. However, bank account details of around 5.1 lakh students are currently available, they added.
"Each student will receive Rs 1,370 for uniform and school bags, taking the amount earmarked for the first phase to around Rs 69.87 crore. Efforts are underway to open bank accounts for children whose parents do not have existing accounts, while account details that are inactive or require updating are also being addressed," an official said.
The August 31 cut-off is followed annually as admissions and withdrawals in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools continue through the academic session. The final enrolment figure is frozen after this date, following which the civic body processes the financial aid for eligible students, officials explained.
The disbursal has in previous years faced delays, with students without active bank accounts often unable to receive the money. The MCD is now working to ensure that children who do not have bank accounts are also brought into the payment process, officials said.
The civic body has also changed the way stationery will be provided from the 2026-27 academic session. Instead of transferring Rs 300 to students for notebooks and other stationery, MCD will procure and distribute the items directly through schools.
"Under the earlier system, students were entitled to Rs 1,670 annually through direct benefit transfer -- Rs 1,250 for uniform, Rs 120 for a school bag and Rs 300 for stationery. The cash component has now been fixed at Rs 1,370 for uniform and school bags, with stationery to be supplied separately," another senior official said.
He added that the decision to distribute notebooks and stationery directly was taken in view of delays in transferring the money to students' accounts.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.