Centre to send team to review mid-day meal scheme implementation in West Bengal

The Centre has decided to send a team to review the implementation of the centrally sponsored mid-day meal scheme in West Bengal, after allegations of misappropriation of funds by the Trinamool Congress-led state government.

According to a government release, the Union ministry of education has constituted a joint review mission (JRM), comprising members drawn from nutrition experts and officers from the Union and state governments, to review the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN)

It comes days after leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly Suvendu Adhikari wrote to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged misappropriation of mid-day meal funds by the TMC government.

“We had read about some reports about irregularities in midday meal (PM Poshan Scheme) in newspapers. On January 5, leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also submitted a note about large-scale irregularities on the same issue. Hence, while in 2020 the state had objected to the visit of any such joint review mission (JRM), this time we are determined to send a JRM,” Pradhan told reporters in Kolkata on Saturday.

The Centre had earlier sent teams to the eastern state to review the implementation of government schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on multiple times attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre for sending teams to the state to probe alleged irregularities.

“They (Centre) are sending one team after another for political reasons… A team, B team, C team, D team. What is this? Teams are being sent if anyone bursts a cracker. Bengal is being singled out by the Centre and subjected to neglect,” Banerjee told media persons earlier this month.

The issue of the Centre setting up a joint review mission to take stock of the mid-day meal implementation in the state has become the latest flash-point between the BJP and the TMC.

“Several (TMC) leaders own huge mansions and cars. These have been purchased with money being siphoned off from the funds sent by the Centre for poor people. There should be thorough investigation and the Centre should ask for detailed accounts,” said Dilip Ghosh, BJP national vice president.

The TMC hit back saying the Centre is not sending any funds.

“The BJP is losing ground in West Bengal and is hence doing all these. They are not sending funds. The state BJP leaders are sending wrong reports to the Centre and the latter is dancing to the tunes,” Firhad Hakim, state minister, told reporters.