BMC schools yet to get flavoured milk

Three months after the start of the academic session in civic-run schools, over a lakh students studying there haven’t received the promised flavoured milk yet. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) education committee chairman Rukmini Kharatmal on Friday demanded that the officials responsible for the lapse should be ousted.

“Deputy municipal commissioner AG Hire and education officer Abbasaheb Jadhav are responsible for the delay,” said Kharatmal in the standing committee meeting on Friday. BMC’s education committee has launched an inquiry into the matter.

Even though a contract worth Rs240 crore was sanctioned by the BMC on July 7 this year, the tender is yet to see the light of the day. The BMC on July 21 was supposed to issue a purchasing order to the contractor, Rashtriya Majdoor Madhyavarti Grahak Sahakari Sangh (RMMGS).

Meanwhile, civic officials claim procedural work and overburdened staff led to the delay. “There are procedures that needs to be done before implementing the sanctioned proposal. Also, officials were supervising distribution of essential commodities to the school children,” said Abbasaheb Jadhav, BMC education officer. Deputy municipal commissioner, AG Hire didn’t comment on the matter. Additional municipal commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh said the milk will be distributed in schools from September 21.