Last Update: January 31, 2023, 21:02 IST
The ruling Trinamool Congress criticized the Center over the team’s visit and claimed that the allegations were being leveled to malign the state government. (Representational Image/ News18)
The ruling Trinamool Congress termed the visit the result of “political vendetta”, while the opposition BJP accused the ruling government of trying to “hide the scam”.
A political crisis has erupted in the state after a central team visited West Bengal to probe alleged irregularities in the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme.
The ruling Trinamool Congress termed the visit the result of “political vendetta”, while the opposition BJP accused the ruling party of trying to “hide the scam”.
A 13-member central team on Monday began the review of the mid-day meal scheme in schools in West Bengal.
The joint review mission, comprising officials from the Union Ministry of Education, a nutritionist, a UNICEF representative, PM Poshan Yojana director V Bhaskar, also held a meeting with state education department officials.
The state’s political slugfest has been on the boil for the past few days due to allegations and counter-attacks over irregularities in the mid-day meal scheme after it allegedly came to the fore that food was not being provided to students in several government schools. Adequate nutritious food as per the norms prescribed by the Central Government.
The ruling Trinamool Congress criticized the Center over the team’s visit and claimed that the allegations were being leveled to malign the state government.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, “The only motive behind sending the central team is to harass the state government and tarnish our image. The Center does not clear our dues. We run the mid-day meal scheme from our own coffers.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Earlier on several occasions the visits of central teams to check the implementation of various central schemes were termed as attempts to “pursue political vendetta”.
Leader of the Opposition Shubhendu Adhikari, who lodged a complaint with the Union Ministry of Education seeking a visit by a central team, claimed that state government officials along with the central team were misleading the team.
“Central inspection team headed by officers of West Bengal Government going to some selected schools to review Mid Day Meal implementation. Result – Cooking staff wearing aprons and gloves. Clean and neat kitchen. They are randomly assigned Must select the school from and suddenly arrive there to catch them.” Guard,” he tweeted.
The official wondered how “truth-seekers can trust those who are trying their best to hide it”.
“It’s like, in looking for reality, you’re counting on people who are doing their best to cover up and hide the truth. The cooking staff are instructed to play along. Their encouragement—premature Pay. It’s WB; I won. Shouldn’t even be surprised if school children are threatened,” he said in another Twitter post.
The official alleged that funds allocated for the mid-day meal scheme were diverted to other projects.
TMC spokesperson termed his allegations as baseless.
Ghosh said, “The state government is implementing the mid-day meal scheme in the best possible way despite severe financial crunch as the Center has stopped funding. Instead of blaming us, they should ask their political masters to get funds for the state.” Must be asked to release.”
Meanwhile, in Haringhata area of North 24 Parganas district, the central team faced protests from BJP supporters who demanded that they accompany the team to “find out the truth”.
Some BJP workers carrying posters and placards surrounded the vehicles of the team members and demanded that they be allowed to accompany the team.
Later the police removed the crowd.
State minister Partha Bhowmik described the BJP supporters as “illiterate who do not know the rule that no party functionary can accompany the central team during its tour”.
The Center recently allocated Rs 372 crore to the state under the PM Poshan Yojana to provide nutritious food to school students.
It also released an additional Rs 250 crore to the School Education Department for infrastructural development.
The BJP-led central government had earlier sent teams to the state to monitor the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme and probe alleged irregularities in the PM Awas Yojana.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)