The West Bengal government now plans to include eggs, chicken, and good seasonal fruits in its mid-day meal system for schools amid allegations by the BJP that the ruling TMC has misused the PM Poshan programme. Leader of the opposition in the assembly Suvendu Adhikari has complained on the matter to union minister of education Dharmendra Pradhan.
In an order on January 3, the state government has transferred Rs 3,71,90,78,400 for additional nutrition to students under PM Poshan at the school level as an allotment grant for four months to 24 district nodal officers.
It has also been mentioned in the order that the extra cost for this will be Rs 20 per student per week. The duration will be for 16 weeks. So Rs 320 has been allocated in total for each student, which will be transferred at a time to each school from respective single nodal accounts through Public Financial Management System (PFMS) from the block level.
Trinamool Congress insiders say that this is a very good initiative by the state government in order to provide additional nutrition to children.
The BJP leaders though are alleging that the step has been taken to lure voters before this year’s panchayat elections.
Adhikari in his letter to Pradhan has written, “One of the biggest ongoing Scams being committed by the Government of West Bengal is the Mid Day Meal scam or PM Poshan scam. The misappropriation of the funds granted by the Central Government in this regard has been systematically diverted unethically by the State Government on a regular basis to serve their own interests.”
The TMC has rubbished these charges. West Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said, “He (Adhikari) can only complain and tweet. Let him do that.”
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