NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has unearthed widespread ‘leaks’ in the mid-day meal scheme and slammed the programme saying that it had made “institutional exaggeration” of figures pertaining to students.
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In its report tabled in Parliament on Friday, the CAG said the scheme was no longer effective in getting poor children to school.
The audit “evidenced an institutional exaggeration of figures” regarding students taking meals, irregular diversion or theft of food grains, inflated transportation costs and fudging of data pertaining to supply of food grains. “All these point to widespread leakages leading to losses and misappropriations in the scheme,” the CAG said and blamed the Centre for inadequate monitoring of the scheme.
The report also pointed out that there were various irregularities like inflated costs and fudging of data.
It said the enrolment of children in schools providing mid-day meals was showing a “consistent” decline.
“More and more people are seeking better education and not just food,” it said.
“The enrolment of children in schools covered under the scheme showed a consistent decline over the years from 14.69 crore children in 2009-10 to 13.87 crore in 2013-14,” it said.
In contrast, the enrolment of children in private schools witnessed a jump from 4.02 crore to 5.53 crore during the same period.