JAGATSINGHPUR: The block education officer (BEO) of Raghunathpur on Monday suspended a government school headmaster for illegally stocking rice meant for mid-day meal and other irregularities in the noon meal scheme.
The accused was identified as Rajkishore Ojha, the headmaster of Raghunathpur upper primary school. Sources said Raghunathpur BEO Bijay Swain had visited the school on March 21 to probe the allegations of irregularities in implementation of the MDM scheme. Swain found around five quintal of MDM rice stocked illegally in the school.
On being served a show cause notice in this regard, Ojha said as students do not eat the MDM rice on Thursdays and auspicious occasions, the school purchases ‘Arua’ rice from the local market for them. Therefore, the surplus MDM rice was left in the school. However, the BEO was not satisfied with the explanation and placed him under suspension. At least 338 students are enrolled in the government upper primary school.