Odisha headmaster suspended for MDM fund corruption
JAGATSINGHPUR: Headmaster of Ballabihari Government UP School, Matagajpur Suratha Malla was on Wednesday placed under suspension on charges of embezzlement of government funds meant for mid-day meal scheme and supply of school uniform.
Sources said old students and members of School Management Committee (SMC) had complained to the administration and higher officials of school and mass education department against the headmaster alleging supply of low-quality food materials under MDM scheme. Due to this, malnutrition cases are increasing every day, they alleged.
“The headmaster is increasing the number of meals falsely while supplying low quality meals. On an average, Rs 15,000 is being misappropriated per month under the MDM scheme by Malla. He is also providing low-quality dress materials for school uniform to the students. For this, he has been siphoning money to the tune of `25,000 to `30,000 government money in connivance with dress suppliers,” they alleged.
In a memorandum to the administration and school and mass education department, chairperson of SMC Anuj Kumar Mallick and chairperson of Mo School Abhijan Bedadyuti Prusty put forth all the allegations last month and urged to conduct an inquiry followed by stern action against the headmaster.
The memorandum also detailed that the headmaster has embezzled `15,000 against the R&M grant for the year 2017-2018. He has produced a false and fabricated voucher for the year 2021-2022 against a composite grant of `50,000, the memo added.
Basing on the complaint, district education officer Niranjan Behera conducted an inquiry. He informed that the headmaster has been placed under suspension after found involved in the misappropriation of money from MDM by illegally enhancing the student strength and also embezzlement of funds from different government schemes.