Punjab Congress on Sunday blamed the ruling SAD-BJP alliance Government in the State for not learning any lesson from recent unearthed scam into Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (SSA), and throwing away the instructions of the Union Human Resource Ministry to form special district level committees to ensure transparency into expenditure of these funds.
Making these allegations, leader of Congress legislative Party (ClP) Sunil Jakhar said that HRD under secretary AK Tiwari, in a letter to Project Director Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Mid Day Meal (MDM) and Rashtriya Madhymik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) dated April 25, 2013, has said that to monitor various schemes of SSA, MDM and RMSA, a district level committee be formed.
Committee would include area MP, MlAs, member of Zila Parishad and Municipal Committee as members, with the Deputy Commissioner as Secretary, District Education Officer as in-charge beside a member from NGOs, involve into work of primary education, read the letter.A meeting should be headed by Member Parliament and mandatory to be convened once in a quarter, said Jakhar.
“It’s matter of great irony that none of the elected public representative was even informed what to talk about formation of above pivotal committee in the wider interest of poor,” lashed Jakhar.He added, “Punjab Chief Minister, who never leave any opportunity to say that to facilitate education to all is prime aim as well as Education Minister should clear their stand on non-formation of above committee.”
Terming the recent disclosed ‘book scam’ as tip of the iceberg, Jakhar called for thorough probe into grants by Union HRD Minister of Rs 1837.76 crore provided to Punjab in last six years.He also demanded earliest formation of above committees for the betterment of education system.