Pune: PCMC Launches e-RUPI School Supply Distribution for 48,000 Students

Reported by Varad Bhatkhande

Pimpri Chinchwad, 2nd August 2024: The distribution of school supplies to students in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) schools has begun, a month and a half after schools in Maharashtra reopened. Using the e-RUPI mechanism, the PCMC Education Department is distributing materials through direct benefit transfer. The distribution is expected to be completed within the next ten days.

PCMC oversees 105 primary and 18 secondary schools, with 48,000 students enrolled. Parents had expressed displeasure over the delayed distribution of school supplies. In response, the distribution has finally commenced. Concerns were raised about the quality of materials previously distributed. To address this, funds for school supplies were transferred directly to parents’ accounts via the benefit transfer method. This approach aims to enhance the quality of educational materials and ensure students receive comprehensive educational resources. To ensure transparency, the e-RUPI method was adopted under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme. PCMC has verified the quality of all school materials provided under this new system.

How Does the e-RUPI System Work?

Parents’ up-to-date mobile numbers, registered with their children’s schools, are used for distributing school materials under the e-RUPI method. A message containing a link to a QR code is sent to these mobile numbers through the bank. This link generates a QR code on the mobile. An OTP is sent to the parent’s mobile number after scanning the QR code from the school supplies supplier. Students receive their supplies only after their parents submit this OTP to the supplier.

What Items Are Included?

School supplies include notebooks, boots, socks, sports shoes, compass boxes, foot bandages, study series, practice booklets, drawing notebooks, map booklets, raincoats, water bottles, and more.

Pradeep Jambhale Patil, Additional Commissioner of PCMC, said, “The distribution of school supplies to 48,000 students in PCMC schools has started. Rs. 3700 each to students from class I to IV and Rs. 3900 each to students from class V to X through QR code.”