Specially-abled “Divyang” students of Delhi University (DU) who are residents of hostels alleged that 50 per cent food subsidy given to them in hostel mess has been withdrawn. Students said that they were getting subsidy on mess food since July onwards they have to pay the mess rates at par with other students.
A resident of Mansarowar Hostel of DU said, “In 2012, we had raised a demand for separate hostels for PwD (persons with disabilities). At that time, the varsity said that there would be five per cent reservation on the seats and the mess rates would be halved. But from the last two-three months, we have not been getting food at subsidised rates.”.
Another student said that many hostels such as Mansarowar Hostel, Ambedkar Hostel and others have stopped giving food at subsidised rates.
“From this session onwards, these three hostels have stopped giving food subsidy. We have been told that the other hostels will also not give subsidy in the next two-three months after their funds are exhausted,” she said.
A hostel warden said that since the funds are not being released or given by the university the mess fess have to be charged from the students as private contractors runs the mess and in usual course 50 per cent of mess charge for PWD students is given by the University. She said that the PWD students have to only pay for the mess fees while rest other facilities are free for them. She said that the money would be reimburse back to the students as soon as university gives it.
An official from the varsity said, “The varsity had been giving the subsidy from 2012 on its own. It was not receiving any funding for it. It is not that we have withdrawn it. We will continue to give it. There have been some procedural changes and we are working them out so that this can be continued.”