Management of Mid-day-Meal in Odisha

Management of Mid-day-Meal in Odisha

Dear friends

Mid-day-Meal is one of the food security programme under which each children of Primary and Upper Primary schools   are entitled to get   a hot cooked noon-meal in the school.  The objective of the scheme is to provide nutritious food to the school-going children, check school drop-out and increase attendance of the students.  Presently, food under this scheme has been   guaranteed under National Food Security Act, 2013.

In view of allegation of State Govt. about budgetary reduction for MDM by Central Govt. which has affected MDM in Odisha, RTI Application  was filed to the PIO, Dept. of School and Mass Education, Govt. of Odisha seeking information about details of budgetary allocation and expenditure from both Central and State share  and utilisation of fund under different heads. On 10.11.17, the PIO has provided the information which is as follows.

 Though there is substantial reduction of fund amounting few crores by Central Govt.  for MDM  in Odisha,   but  the Govt. has not been able to   utilise   the allotted fund   for same.  In an average,   every year, Rs. 100 crore remained unspent balance. It means though fund is available, it could not  be spent  by State Govt. due to reasons best known to them.  

It is fact that quality of food can be ensured, if there will be goof environment and storage facility in each school. In 2013-14 ,  the State Govt.   allotted Rs. 94.20 crore for  construction of building for kitchen-cum-store room ( Rs. 60,000.00 per kitchen room).  After that not a single pie has been allotted for Kitchen room.  That’s why thousands of schools are devoid of Kitchen-cum-store room because of non-allocation of fund by State Govt.  Quality food under MDM is denied to the children. 

 In 2014-15, The State Govt.  made a big advertisement that LPG  will be provided to  all schools. Within 4 years, a sum of only 3.5 crore has been allotted for LPG gas   connection. It shows how the State Govt. has been neglecting MDM and as well as children in Odisha. That’s why MDM is mess in Odisha.

                                                                                                            ( Rs. In Lakh)

Year	Fund Sanctioned			Expenditure
	Central Share	State Share	Total	Central Share	State Share	Total
2013-14	63935.89	39824.75	103,760.64	54917.66	29489.80	84407.46
2014-15	58450.84	24195.55	82646.39	51824.23	20017.47	71841.70
2015-16	48373.55	27513.21	75886.76	45522.01	25652.42	71174.43
2016-17	46692.62	33356.73	80049.35	42267.63	29719.00	71986.63
2017-18 ( upto Sept.)  6 months	27811.43	20063.60	47875.03	22453.45	16105.17	38558.62

                                                                                                                       

( Rs.in Lakh)

Sl.No	Component	Expenditure incurred
		2013-14		2014-15		2015-16
		Central Share	State Share	Central Share	State Share	Central Share	State Share
1	Cost of foodgrain	7709.07	0.00	7067.36	0.00	6995.16	0.00
2	Cooking Cost	32681.62	16763.27	32903.97	16489.81	28365.23	21308.83
3	Hon. To Cook-cum-Helper	9927.81	3306.53	9525.31	3175.10	8417.38	4343.59
4	Transportation Cost	993.97	0.00	806.54	0.00	912.84	0.00
5	MME	893.79	0.00	972.20	0.00	831.40	0.00
6.	Kitchen devices	2711.40	0.00	548.85	0.00
7	Kitchen-cum-Store	0.00	9420.00	0.00	0.00
8	LPG	0.00	0.00		352.56
	Total	54917.66	29489.80	51824.23	20017.47	45522.01	25652.42

Sl.No	Component	Expenditure incurred
		2016-17		2017-18
		Central Share	State Share	Central Share	State Share
1	Cost of foodgrain	3570.45	0.00	1627.33	0.00
2	Cooking Cost	28635.49	24198.64	17046.68	14172.03
3	Hon. To Cook-cum-Helper	8280.54	5520.36	2899.72	1933.14
4	Transportation Cost	824.01	0.00	366.31	0.00
5	MME	823.24	0.00	513.41	0.00
6.	Kitchen devices	133.90	0.00	0.00	0.00
7	Kitchen-cum-Store	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
8	LPG	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
	Total	42267.63	29719.00	22453.45	16105.17

Year	No. of School	No. of Cook-cum-Helpers engaged
2013-14	63531	133349
2014-15	62640	128461
2015-16	62784	128817
2016-17	62708	128429
2017-18	58301	122500

Total children studying  in Primary and Upper Primary schools in Odisha  is 51 lakh children.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date-29.4.17 

Huge Corruption in Niali Block of Cuttack district, Odisha

Huge Corruption and misappropriation of   Fund for Rural Development programme  in Niali Block of Cuttack district.

Information about utilisation of MLA LAD under RTI is denied apprehending expose of corruption

Dear friends

Corruption in every sphere of administration especially Rural development programme is common and widespread under Nabin Patnaik regime in the state.   Many RTI Activists and Common people have used RTI to expose corruption in rural development work and fight it out  by drawing attention of the appropriate authority for enquiry.  RTI has become a biggest weapon in the hand of the citizens to fight for their entitlement.

In view of huge expose of corruption through RTI, the State bureaucracy has adopted strategy not to provide information under RTI Act. It is seen that a good number of RTI Applications are not complied by PIOs at block, Tahasil and Panchayat level. It has become mania of state bureaucracy to deny and delay the information under RTI Act. As corruption is rampant in the implementation of NREGA, Biju Pucca Yojana, IAY and MLA LAD in every block and Gram Panchayat, the Anti-corruption Crusaders   are filling RTI to fight out corruption. The information is not only denied to them  but they are beaten up, threatened of dire consequence and also murdered  which is very common  in our state.

I cite herewith few examples  how  information about MLA LAD, NREGA, IAY, PMAY, Biju Pucca Yojana  fund  spent in Niali Block  of Cuttack district is repeatedly denied   by  PIO, office of BDO, Niali Block.  BDO of Niali Block  , on behalf of MLA has masterminded all corruptions  in these development programme funded   under MLA LAD and other scheme.  The name of RTI Applicant is Sashikant lenka ( M- 8825632902)  and Others

Date of RTI filed	Subject matter of information	Whether Information provided	Remarks
26.7.17 RTI filed  to Office of PD, DRDA , Cuttack	Functioning of E-abhijyog System and grievances  about irregularities addressed   through this system  in Niali Block	No  information provided	First appeal filed on 28.10.17. No information ensured.
20.8.17 RTI filed to DEO, Cuttack	Copy of    Recommendation of MLA, Niali   for transfer of teachers  from 1.1.2010 to 20.1.2012	No	First appeal filed
26.8.2017 RTI filed to  office of PD, DRDA, Cuttack  which was forwarded  to  Niali Block to provide information	Information about IAY, PMAY, Biju Pucca Yojana in Gallahar Pur Gram panchayat	No	First Appeal has been filed to BDO , Niali on 5.11.17
5.8.17 RTI filed to PIO, office of BDO, Niali block	Details of procedure followed  for selection of beneficiaries  under Biju Pucca Yojana, Prime Minister Aawas Yojana.	No	First appeal filed  on 28.10 17  to BDO, Niali. BDO has failed  to  provide information.
7.8.17 RTI filed to office of PD, DRDA, Cuttack . It was transferred to PIO, office of BDO, Niali	Details of CC road  constructed  in  all 23 GPs of Niali Block	No	On denial of information, First appeal was filed  to BDO, Niali  on 28.10.17. BDO failed to provide information.
18.10.17 RTI Filed to PIO, Office of BDO, Niali Block	Utilisation of MLA LAD Fund  in Eranch GP	No	Arif Hussein, BDO made a call to applicant  and said  why you are  behind MLA.  He also threatened not to file RTI.  On 28.10.17,  Block officials filed  an FIR   against RTI Applicant in Niali  police station. The case is registered under SC &ST Atrocity act  .
18.10.17 RTI Filed to PIO, Office of BDO, Niali Block	Incentive money  given to beneficiaries  and  utilisation of fund for administrative  expenses  under Rural Housing Scheme  like BPGY and PMAY   in 23 GP	No
3.11.17 RTI filed to PIO, Niali Block	Utilisation of MLA LAD fund  in  Bilasuni  Gram Panchayat	No	No information  has been provided.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 27.11.17