Ludhiana, Aug. 14 -- For the past two months, many government schools in the district have been struggling to run their mid-day meal programme as funds for food and salaries for kitchen workers remain unpaid.

The delay has forced teachers and school heads to dig into their own pockets to ensure that children are fed. "Each primary school student is allotted a budget of Rs.6.78 for the mid-day meal. With no funds for two months, we have been managing ourselves," said Sukhdhir Singh Sekhon, headteacher of Government Primary School, Moti Nagar. "On average, we spend Rs.80,000 a month on these meals. While groceries can be bought on credit, vegetables and fruits require cash, which makes things very difficult."

The crisis extends beyond the...