BHAWANIPATNA: District Education Office has recovered Rs 1.33 lakh from headmasters of 25 primary schools for misappropriation of funds meant for mid-day meal (MDM) scheme.
Discrepancy in stock and consumption registers was detected during an audit for the financial year 2015-16 conducted by the Finance department. It was found that there was a shortage of 45 quintals of rice meant for MDM scheme in these schools. District Education Officer Sanjiv Singh said after recovering the amount from the schools, a compliance report has been submitted to the Directorate of Primary Education.
However, the teachers of these schools blamed the authorised suppliers for the discrepancy.
They said there is no mechanism to weigh rice meant for the scheme in the schools. There is invariably a shortage of 5-7 kg rice in each 50 kg bag supplied to the institutions, they said. The teachers further alleged that with upgradation of primary schools, students of Classes IX and X are also being served mid-day meals although they are not included in the scheme. They said the schools feed the students along with their juniors by making some adjustments. Singh said schools will be asked to procure weighing machines from their composite funds.