In the wake of complaints about money being sought for supplying eggs, bananas or peanut chikkis in schools, Additional Commissioner of School Education Department Jayashree Shintri has issued a warning saying that strict disciplinary action will be taken against those involved in such acts.
Under Akshara Dasoha scheme, along with mid-day meal scheme, the government has made supplying eggs, bananas or peanut chikkis mandatory as supplementary nutritional food for schoolchildren.
In a press release here, Ms. Shintri has said that headmasters and teachers should properly plan to cover the cost within the limit of ₹6 per student set by the government for each egg, banana or peanut chikki distributed to schoolchildren.
“There is no provision in the department rules to collect extra money from parents or guardians of students for the distribution of eggs to schoolchildren,” she has said.
Ms. Shintri has said that a departmental inquiry will be initiated on the receipt of written complaints about collection of extra money from parents or guardians for distribution of nutritional food items to schoolchildren.
And, if it [complaint] is found true then, strict action will be initiated against those involved in such acts, she has said.
The Additional Commissioner has also said that she will be visiting schools in Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Sirsi and Chikkodi educational districts to hold talks with SDMC presidents and parents of schoolchildren.
Directions have already been issued to BEOs and DDPIs to visit schools under their jurisdiction to hold audit of purchase of nutritional food items to determine whether the expenditure has been within the limit of ₹6 per student set by the government, she has said in the release.
