Thiruvananthapuram: Three teachers at a government school in Keralam have turned their savings from a free travel scheme into meals for children of plantation workers, earning appreciation from Transport Minister C P John on Saturday.

The teachers of Ponmudi Government Upper Primary School here -- Nimisha, Jayasree Devan and Shalu Paulose -- began using the money they saved through the Priyadarshini free travel scheme to provide food to students after financial difficulties faced by sponsors threatened the school's evening meal programme.

The teachers continue to contribute from their own resources to ensure that the children, and in some cases their family members, do not go hungry, according to an official statement.

John invited the teachers and students to his official residence and felicitated them for their initiative, describing their efforts as an inspiring example of social responsibility and compassion.

The teachers also requested an additional KSRTC bus service on the route during school hours, which the minister said he would consider, it said.

Under the Priyadarshini scheme introduced by the state government, women can travel free of cost in KSRTC ordinary services, a key poll promise of the Congress-led UDF.

With inputs of PTI

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.