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Edu (s) assures complete distribution of books by June 15, while student bodies sets May 15 deadline

 IMPHAL, May 9: In the wake of the controversies surrounding the availability of free textbooks for the school children and major student bodies demanding clarification and action on the issue, the department of Education (S) today reassured the public that the printing of enough textbooks for distribution would be completed by June 15.The Education department in an official release has stated that the government is equally concerned about the delay in the supply of free text books to the school children.It has also stated that the government with the good intention to supply quality books wanted to print the books on watermark paper. However due to the inability of the paper mills to supply the limited quantity of paper with watermark, the process of the printing is slightly delayed, it clarified. It informed that the department had entrusted the work of printing of text books to the BOSEM who later engaged the work to 62 printing presses in and around Imphal to expedite the printing. It further clarified that owing to the erratic power supply in the state, the presses could not complete the printing in time.The release further reassured that the supply of the books will start from May 15 and will be completed by June 15.In its further clarification it said that the books left undistributed with the ZEO offices last year were very few and were due to shortage in enrolment during last year as compared to the previous year.It further informed the public that a total number of 26,251 books are left over with the BOSEM, which were printed last year but could not be distributed due to shortage in enrolment of students. However the BOSEM is releasing the left over stock of 26,251 books for distribution to the schools, added the statement.On the other hand, major student bodies operating in the state today warned to take feasible action against the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) if they failed to deliver the textbooks within May 15.The warning was made during a book distribution programme held this morning at the AMSU head office, jointly organized by the AMSU, DESAM, MSF, KSA.Textbooks of various subjects mostly Environmental Science, Social Sciences, Maths meant for free distribution under the SSA were distributed to school authorities of various government and aided schools of the state.Briefing media persons during the programme the student bodies informed that the books were collected from four ZEO offices which included ZEO I, II, III, IV since May 3 by the student bodies and deposited at the AMSU office.According to Thoi Thoi, secretary general DESAM although the state has been provided with many centrally sponsored schemes in the field of education the implementing agencies have time to time failed to do the needful work.While referring to the SSA, he observed that the scheme has totally failed in the state. He dissented that the scheme would be better off if removed from the state itself.The secretary general of DESAM has urged all the concerned ZEOs to distribute the pending books of the SSA for the period of 2010-11 by May 15 and asserted that all the books will be returned to the SSA if they failed.In the meantime, Thoi Thoi, also urged the BOSEM to deliver textbooks to its outlets by May 15 taking into account the agreement reached between the students’ bodies and the BOSEM failing which it warned to take feasible actions against the BOARD from the next day of the deadline.

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