KOZHIKODE: A study by the State Planning Board (SPB) has found the Student Police Cadet (SPC) project struggling without sufficient funds. Though education department has taken up steps to add 100 more schools to SPC, lack of resources has become a major impediment. “Our study has recommended the expansion of the programme and also try out new modes of mobilisation to meet the urgent requirement of funds for initiatives like camps and workshops," The SPB's perspective planning division chief Dr Santhosh Vidyadharan said.
"We have recommended several methods including collecting Rs 1 lakh from the local self-government institutions as annual contributions from their plan funds, besides donations from parents, philanthropists, and PTAs. They can also conduct events to raise money." In addition to all these, he said, the government must take serious steps to increase the existing allocation of Rs 10 crore.
"Since the funds are sanctioned in the second half of the academic year, the schools find it difficult to coordinate the programme as per the plan," Mr Vidhyadharan said. "We had talked to students, parents, teachers and even the police officials to study the present status of the project as part of preparing the report." It also suggests a high-power committee with representation from the departments of home, education, excise, forest, sports and youth affairs and transport for the expansion, monitoring and rectifying flaws.
