The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) has not been properly implemented in the State with 3,167 eligible human habitations still to have secondary schools, reveals the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (GAG) report laid in the State Assembly by Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat on Monday.
The performance audit revealed that the State esthalished only 773 out of 1,535 new schools proposed in the perspective plan. There was shortfall in construction of new schools and strengthening of infrastructure in existing schools, resulting in classroom-student ratio exceeding the norm of 1:4. In addition students deprived of facilities libraries and laboratories. The quality of education suffered due to non-recruitment of 4,790 teachers and inadequate teaching to them under the RMSA.
Similarly, it stated that implementation of ICT (Information Communication Technology) at schools suffered due to deficient e-content, inferior quality furniture, non-supply of tablets with pre-installed e-content and ineffective ITC training to teachers. Monitoring of implementation of the scheme was deficient both at district and State level. Consequently, the physical milestones approved by the Union Government could not be achieved even after six years of implementation.
In compliance audit, it was revealed that utilisation of funds under the Biju Kandhamal O Gajapati Yojana during 2011-15 was only 50 per cent of the available funds because of delay in sanctioning of projects, delay in release of funds and lack of monitoring by district authorities.
The report mentioned the Rural Development Department incurred avoidable expenditure of `5.48 crore as agreements with contractors were foreclosed following award of six works sans land and forest clearance.