In order to eradicate hunger and illiteracy, the government had introduced the mid-day meal scheme that feeds children at school-going age. However, the scheme has once again landed into controversy in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) operated schools of the twin-city, following allegations of serious lapses and irregularities in the appointment of an organization to provide nutritious and wholesome food to municipal school students.
The allegations have been made by ruling party corporator Prashant Dalvi (BJP) who has demanded a detailed probe into the alleged anomalies and corrupt practices adopted by the education department to appoint the organization for executing the mid-day meal scheme sans approval of the standing committee and by keeping senior officials in the dark.
“Apart from illegal allotment of works contract, the chances of proxy attendance especially during the pandemic-induced lockdown period cannot be ruled out. I have asked the municipal commissioner to conduct a detailed probe headed by additional civic chief Dilip Dhole with a time-bound deadline and take action against those found guilty for wrongdoings,” said Prashant Dalvi who is also the Leader of the House in the MBMC.
Education department officials have however refuted the charges. To provide access to online learning and educational tools, irrespective of their location amid the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, the MBMC had launched Google Meet, a premium conferencing features, for all students who have enrolled themselves in the civic-operated schools across the twin-city in August last year.
Presently, there are 17 MBMC-owned buildings that house 36 schools engaged in imparting education in Marathi, Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati and semi-English mode up to VII and VIII standard to around 8,300 children.
