Badal pulls up education board for laxity in books distribution

CHANDIGARH - Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Tuesday pulled up the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) over its failure to ensure that good quality text books are distributed free among Scheduled Castes (SC) students of the state.

The laxity of the PSEB has led to its failure to distribute free books among the nearly 150,000 SC students in Punjab.

“The chief minister has asked the chairman of PSEB to ensure quality production and timely supply of books. It was observed that the quality of printing was very poor and distribution of books in government schools often got delayed due to one or the other reason,” said an official spokesperson here Tuesday.

He added, “Chief Minister Badal has warned the PSEB that there should be no compromise with the quality and timely distribution of the text books. In case of any neglect, the chairman of the board would be directly held accountable.”

Badal issued the directions while heading a meeting of senior officials of the concerned ministry, here Tuesday.

Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur, who was also present at the meeting, said: “Around 150,000 students of SC category have not been provided textbooks by the board due to its faulty distribution network.”

In the meantime, Minister of Welfare of SCs Gulzar Singh Ranike said “a last chance” was being given to the PSEB to rectify its shortcomings otherwise the entire task of printing and distribution of the books would be handed to the social welfare department.

Officials of the PSEB assured that all shortcomings would be removed at the earliest.

“I would personally monitor the entire exercise right from production of the books to distribution in the schools. I will procure the book samples approved by the authorities at least one month before the distribution to ensure quality and presentation,” said D.S. Dhillon, chairman of PSEB.