New Delhi The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is planning to purchase furniture for schools from the Tihar Central Jail factory, and a proposal for the same will be presented in the next House meeting, officials said.

The corporation will seek approval for purchase of 26,758 dual desks fro students and 8,538 tables and 7,718 chairs for teachers, at an estimated total cost of ₹22.8 lakh.

The proposal, also seen by HT, stated that the furniture would be delivered directly from the factory over the next six months. Additionally, the Civil Lines zone will not receive any furniture from the factory, as the Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited (IRFC) will provide 1,580 dual desks for students and 763 tables and chairs to the MCD-run schools in the area, free of cost under its CSR funds.

MCD additional commissioner of education Pankaj Naresh Agarwal stated that it aims to address the shortage of furniture in MCD-run schools. “After obtaining administrative approval and expenditure sanction from the corporation, the proposal will be placed before the Standing Committee for approval of the rate and agency for the procurement of the furniture.”

In December last year, Delhi government had approved the same initiative for its schools, stating that it would be procuring 10,000 desks from the factory.