‘Hype around report of JRM on mid-day meals created for political gains’

kokata: The Project Approval Board (PAB) on PM POSHAN has sanctioned Rs 2000 crore for the financial year 2023-24, informed state Education minister Bratya Basu through a social media post on Monday.

Basu tweeted that the PAB on PM POSHAN (erstwhile Mid Day Meal Program) was held under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Government of India, on Monday. The MDM Directorate under the state Education department made a presentation which was followed by a detailed discussion.

“The Government of India appreciated several state initiatives taken under this project and the PAB sanctioned Rs 2000 crore for the financial year 2023-24,” Basu stated in his tweet, while adding, “This goes to show that the hype created around the report of the Joint Review Committee was a deliberately created for political gains.”

The Union Ministry of Education in January had constituted a Joint Review Mission (JRM) to review the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme PM POSHAN in the state. According to media reports, the JRM found that the state had overreported around 16 crore midday meals worth over Rs 100 crore from April to September last year.