Ludhiana, Sept. 14 -- Nearly after three months of uncertainty, the Punjab Mid-Day Meal Society has finally released funds for the mid-day meal scheme, bringing long-awaited relief to teachers and workers who had been left to manage expenses on their own.

The delay had pushed many into financial distress, with teachers forced to dig into their own pockets to keep the programme running and workers left without salaries.

District Lecturer Cadre Union president Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon expressed concern over the recurring issue, saying, "Repeated requests were ignored. Teachers continued to bear this burden for too long. Even now, while the letter has been released, we strongly urge the department to ensure timely disbursement every month....