Bengal saved Rs 18.8 cr in Mid-Day Meal scheme from April to Sep 2022, says Min

KOLKATA: State Education minister Bratya Basu claimed that the state government has saved Rs 18.8 crore in the mid-day meal scheme across state schools from April to September 2022, refuting the report of the 13th JRM (Joint Review Mission) that had alleged misappropriation of Rs 100 crore in the scheme.

“The hurried submission of the report by the 13th JRM, which had not even been signed by the lone representative of the state government had stirred quite some turbid waters regarding loss of Rs 100 crore. Now, during submission of our clarifications on the basis of that very report, it transpires that, far from suffering the loss of Rs 100 crore, the state government has actually saved Rs 18.8 crore! Will the chairperson of the JRM kindly care to explain this unprecedented callousness instead of raising a storm in the teacup?” tweeted Basu.

According to sources, the revelations surfaced while carefully reviewing the portal. “If they had rechecked once, then such confusion would never have happened,” an official in the department said.

The JRM report that surfaced in a section of media stated that there was an over-reporting of over 16 crore meals with the corresponding material cost works out to Rs 100 crore.

The Central government had recently sought opinion from the state government on the JRM’s report on mid-day meal, asking the latter to send the same within four weeks. However, the state sent its report within two days by attaching the facts and figures obtained from the portal.

Last Wednesday, Basu had denied the charges of irregularities and said that the report of the JRM did not have the signature of the Project Director, State Cooked Mid-Day Meal Scheme, who was the representative of the state government in the JRM. He raised questions over the role of JRM for not considering the state government representative’s inputs in the report.

“What, therefore, is the ‘Joint’ in the Joint Review Committee, if the report is not even shared with him for his opinion or views,”Basu had said in a written response that he shared on his Twitter handle.