There's something cooking in the tribal schools of Maharashtra and it's hard to swallow. A state legislative committee has pointed out an "unrealistic" and "unjustified" rise in expenses on food in tribal ashram shalas (residential schools) and hostels, disproportionate to the number of students.
There has been a 16% drop in students from 2012 to 2015, but an 81% rise in food expenses. Similarly, there has been a 53% rise in students enrolled in government hostels, but a 172% rise in food expenses.
In its report submitted to the state legislature on Wednesday, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), headed by senior Congress legislator Gopaldas Agrawal, called for a probe into the matter.
"These audit observations are serious in nature," said the PAC report. It added in a deposition that the secretary of the Tribal Development department told the committee that in 2011-12, the High Court had directed them to provide milk, eggs and bananas, the addition of which lead to an increase in expenses.
PAC maintains the rise is "unrealistic and unjustified", despite these additions. "The department must appoint an inquiry committee and undertake a detailed probe of the unjustified hike," the committee added.
In its report on the general and social sector for the year, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) noted this significant hike in Amravati region. According to the Additional Tribal Commissionerate (ATC), Amravati has 89 government ashram shalas and 104 government hostels that were covered in the audit.
Social activist Pratibha Shinde, of Lok Sangharsh Morcha, said there is rampant corruption in pricing and awarding of contracts. "There are instances of ghost beneficiaries enrolled in ashram shalas," she said, "Contracts for providing vegetable, grain and fruits must be awarded at the local level so that communities and gram sabhas are involved in the functioning of these institutions. But these contracts are usually awarded to people from other districts."
Former Congress minister and tribal leader from Nandurbar, Padmakar Valvi said purchases were riddled with corruption. "This government has reduced many schemes meant for tribals. The expense has also come down consequently," he charged, adding that Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries was not feasible in all sectors and schemes.
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