Probe into alleged mid-day meal scam
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 6
Amid reports of an alleged scam in the mid-day meal scheme in Rajouri and Poonch districts, the state Education Department has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The inquiry follows raids by the state Vigilance Department on 70 schools across the districts. The authorities of more than 30 schools had complained that they had not received ration meant for the scheme for the past six months from the district education authorities concerned and the authorities might have sold it in the open market.

Sources in the Education Department and the Vigilance Department told The Tribune that of the 70 schools raided more than 30 schools had alleged that they had not received ration meant for the scheme for the past six months. And as a result they could not provide mid-day meal to students from Class I to VIII.

They said besides the complaint and the findings of the Vigilance Department, it had come to light that the district education authorities might have sold the ration meant for scheme in the open market.

“In Rajouri districts, of more than 40 schools raided by the vigilance in Buddhal, Baddhal, Khawas, Thanamandi and Manjakote areas, it was found that in large number of schools mid-day meal ration has not reached these schools,” the sources said.

Sources in the Directorate of School Education in Jammu confirmed that director had ordered an inquiry into the matter. They added that the director convened a meeting of the Education Department officers of the two districts at Sunderbani over the issue.