Keonjhar: Funds provided to urban deprived hostel at Atepur in Keonjhar were allegedly misappropriated due to lack of proper monitoring while inmates alleged that they are being served stale food.
Reports said, Sarba Sikhya Abhiyan made the provision for a hostel on the premises of Atepur Upper Primary School and another at Barbil for accommodation and food facilities of the poor, orphaned and destitute students.
The SSA provided fund for stipend, salaries for staff of the hostel, food for inmates every year. The fund is usually credited into the account of the school management committee. But the fund has been deposited in another account with which the school management committee has no link, it was alleged.
The joint account was opened in the names of the headmaster and an accountant. Locals said that there is a need for a probe if the bank account was approved by the Collector.
Inmates are not served food as per daily menu while the food is said to be sub-standard. Inmates are given biscuits in the breakfast.
Surprisingly, only three litres of milk is given to 100 inmates. In the current year, the inmates have not been provided with blankets and sweaters.
The inmates alleged that they were often served stale food. Some of them had protested stale food December 1, 2018.
Rs 6750 is provided every month for each inmate for their maintenance, stipend, test books, education, drinking water and electricity bill while Rs 1.60 lakh is provided annually to the hostel for coaching and purchase of toys.
Besides Rs 8 lakh is provided towards salaries of the hostel staff and tuition of inmates. But there is no statement of accounts for fund expenditure.
Project coordinator of the SSA Purnachandra Sethi said that he would look into the matter and action will be taken after a probe.
PNN