Mid-day meal scheme not affected: Powar

Mid-day meal  scheme not affected: Powar 
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, FEB 10
Officials in the Education Department on Thursday said police complaint against few self-help groups supplying food under the Mid-day Meal Scheme has not affected their project.
Deputy Director Anil Powar said all the appointed SHGs have been providing food to schools regularly without any hindrance. “We have not received any complaint from schools where these groups are operating,” he added.
Police on Tuesday had registered a complaint stating some of the SHGs from Bardez taluka, providing the scheme to primary and upper-primary school children, were allegedly found selling the items used in cooking the meals in the open market.
Police suspect about eight groups from the taluka may be involved in the racket, where the entire quota of rice and wheat supplied through mamlatdar was sold in the open market.
When asked, Powar said that there was no scope for extra quantity of rice and wheat being sold to these groups as the quota is certified by the respective headmasters once they receive it.
“The headmasters of each school certify this quota at the beginning as well as at the end of the month. Hence there is no chance of any sort of irregularity or scam,” he explained. Talking about the police complaint, Powar said all the accused SHGs have responded to the queries raised by the police.
Nearly, 83 such groups supply mid-day meals to schools covering around 1.64 lakh students.