THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala state Education Minister V. Sivankutty’s claims regarding the central government’s allocation of funds for the mid-day meal scheme have been refuted.
The Union Ministry of Education has clarified that the central government provided Rs 132.9 crore to the Kerala state government for the implementation of mid-day meals under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme. However, it has come to light that the state government did not utilize the allocated funds properly.
The Union Ministry of Education has pointed out that this mismanagement is the root cause of the project’s current crisis. They further emphasize that the midday meal scheme is facing difficulties because the allocated funds never reached the designated nodal account.
It has come to light that instead of using the allocated funds for their intended purpose, they were concealed and diverted for other interests.
Consequently, there is now a recurring pattern of blaming the central government for the crisis. Education Minister V. Sivankutty alleged yesterday that the delay in receiving funds from the Central government was responsible for the project’s problems.
In response to these allegations, the Ministry of Education has stepped forward to clarify the truth surrounding the Minister’s statements and accusations against the Centre. Given that Sivankutty’s accusations against the Centre have garnered significant media attention, the Ministry of Education has chosen to provide clarification and has also made relevant documents available for scrutiny.
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