Ek Parisar, Ek Shala: Schools’ merger creates funds transfer problem in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: Laxity on the part of the school staff has started creating problems in the objectives for which ‘Ek Parisar, Ek Shala’ started. Several schools that were present on the premises were merged for better management of resources. The administrative staff of several schools that were merged under this scheme had failed to update their bank accounts even two years after the merger. This has led to failure in bank transactions in transfer of funds to the schools.

In a recent development, funds meant for sports and physical activities were returned to the banks because of wrong, or faulty bank accounts. The Rajya Shiksha Kendra had sent Rs 5,000 per primary school and Rs 10,000 per middle school under the sports head. However, the funds were returned from as many as 333 schools from across the state.

Ujjain district emerged as the biggest defaulter where bank accounts of 41 schools showed error and an amount of Rs 265,000 was returned. Similarly, funds were also returned from 21 schools in Alirajpur district, 19 in Shajapur district, 17 in Rewa and 14 each in Balaghat, Bhopal and Dhar.

The return of funds meant for students may not affect the teaching staff, but has a direct effect on the students. However, as the schools are closed due to the Covid pandemic, the affect is less pronounced.

Under the ‘Ek Parisar, Ek Shala’ scheme, primary, middle and higher secondary schools that were present on one premises were merged for better management. After this move, the identity of two or more schools was merged into one, including their bank accounts.

The Rajya Shiksha Kendra has now given a stern warning to all district coordinators and asked them to immediately remove all the anomalies related to bank accounts.

“If any complaint is reported on the CM Helpline related to funds not reaching the beneficiaries because of errors in bank accounts, strict action will be taken against the district coordinator,” said the state official.