A Parliamentary committee termed as “unacceptable” the development of “gross under-utilisation” of funds to run PM-Poshan and Samagra Shiksha schemes, which, it noticed, “form the backbone of education” within the nation.
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Vinay P Sahasrabuddhe, has directed the Center to determine the elements behind the underutilisation.
The report flagged that as on January 31, 2022, out of the whole allocation of Rs 40,576 crore underneath the Centrally Sponsored Schemes that come underneath the Department of School Education and Literacy, solely Rs 23,572 crore was spent.
Samagra Shiksha and PM-Poshan, which was earlier generally known as mid-day meal, account for 99.15 per cent of the whole allocation underneath the schemes on this regard.
PM Poshan: As on January 31, 2022, 57.91 per cent of Rs 11,500 crore put aside by the Center as its share for the mid-day meals program within the 2021-22 price range have been spent, based on the report of the committee. It additionally identified that not a lot floor could be lined within the remaining two months of February and March.
The PM-Poshan scheme, underneath which cooked meals are supplied to college students in colleges, formally covers 11.8 crore kids in courses as much as class VIII.
As colleges remained closed as a result of pandemic, as an alternative of meals, college students have been supplied meals safety allowance within the type of meals grains and direct profit switch underneath the scheme. In 2020-21, the utilization of the Centre’s share underneath the scheme stood at 99.87 per cent regardless that promoting and publicity actions couldn’t be carried out as a result of pandemic.
“The Committee recommends that there is an urgent need to put in place effective strategies for utilizing the funds,” it mentioned.
Under PM Poshan, the Center bears the price of meals grains and their transportation whereas the funds for funds to cooks and staff are cut up by the Center in a 60:40 ratio with states, and UTs with legislatures.
Samagra Shiksha: Fifty-four per cent of Rs 31,050 crore allotted underneath the scheme by the Center have been spent as on January 31, 2022, regardless of it being “one of the most prominent and a flagship schemes of the Department”, the committee famous. The scheme, which encompasses all main insurance policies and packages in class training, is funded by the Center and states underneath a 60:40 ratio.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
