Nashik: Even though schools have regularly submitted annual audit reports of the nutrition programme being implemented in government schools, the State Director of Education has issued a letter to all schools demanding a reaudit of the nutrition programme (Midday Meal) from 2015 to 2020. Already various posts of teachers and officials are vacant in the state education department, and limited teachers have to complete various tasks. The addition of required accounting information will add to the various works limited section of teachers need to complete. Teachers have complained of continuous paperwork they need to complete and less time to teach the students. Already the pandemic affected studies for two years. Finally, the students returned to school for education, and officials are now burdening them with these tasks.
According to the circular, the department has ordered the account details of this scheme from 2015 to 2020. As alleged by the teachers, the department receives the financial details annually. They have questioned the department so as to why they need the details again and if the subsidy provided by the government is being utilized appropriately or not?
At present, about 1.5 crore students from classes I to VIII studying in 86,499 schools in the state in the primary section are benefiting from this scheme. The government also gives a subsidy worth crores along with goods.
The scheme is all set to be reaudited by a private company in Pune. The scheme will be audited at three levels. Information to be forwarded to Pune will be gathered at school, Panchayat Samiti, Zilla Parishad, and municipal level.
Accordingly, all schools must submit information for audit. While filling in the information, the schools have to fill in factual information with the support of all available records. Talukas and districts will be provided with an online website to fill in the information. Dinkar Patil, director of the Directorate of Primary Education, stated reaudit is free of cost. However, The letter warned of a fine of Rs 25,000 on school principals who fail to submit the information sought for reaudit.