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Telangana Govt makes noon meal scheme starve of funds
The State government has failed to utilise 51 per cent of the funds allocated to Mid-day Meals scheme in government schools. Comptroller and Auditor General in its report observed that funds pertaining to mid-day meals during 2014-15 (June to March) revealed that only 49 per cent i.e. Rs 282.92 crore was utilised out of the allocated Rs 581.53 crore.
51 per cent of mid-day meal funds in TS lie unspent: CAG Report
Hyderabad: The State government has failed to utilise 51 per cent of the funds allocated to Mid-day Meals scheme in government schools. Comptroller and Auditor General in its report observed that funds pertaining to mid-day meals during 2014-15 (June to March) revealed that only 49 per cent i.e. Rs 282.92 crore was utilised out of the allocated Rs 581.53 crore.
On the other hand, the report stated that between 2010 and 2015, the Central government gave an assistance of Rs 2,595.51 crore as its share for implementation of mid-day meal scheme during 2010-15.
However, government incurred Rs 2,526.50 crore towards various components of the scheme. While the State government provided Rs 1,758.15 crore in the budget, it spent only Rs 1,139.37 crore, which is 65 per cent of the total fund allocated for the scheme.
“The government could not exhaust the funds allocated for mid-meal scheme in any of the last five years. Unutilised funds in this regard ranged from Rs 239.83 crore (2012-2013) to Rs 402.32 crore (2013-2014),” the report said.
CAG pointed out that non-utilisation of budgetary allocations and non-release of central government funds in full for implementation of the scheme had hampered the provision of infrastructure required for preparation of mid-day meal and management, monitoring and evaluation activities.
Stating there were inconsistencies in figures of the average number of children taking food in schools, CAG said inconsistency in figures had resulted in excess requisition of 9,274 MT of rice worth Rs 5.28 crore by the government in Adilabad, Nalgonda and Warangal districts.
