the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday gave a categorical assurance on the floor of the House that no other agency will be given a contract to serve Mid-Day meal to schools other than Self Help Groups (SHGs).
When Goa Forward MLA Vijay Sardesai asked a pointed question whether the government was still planning to bring in an agency ‘Akshay Patra’ for supplying mid-day meals, Sawant gave an assurance assured that no other agency other than SHGs would be given the work of serving mid-day meals.
“Even if MoU had to be signed with Akshay Patra for providing mid-day meals, we would still cancel it. Only self-help groups will run the scheme”, said the Chief Minister.
Sawant while admitting that there was a delay in payment of bills to Women Self Help Groups (SHG) supplying mid-day meals to schools, assured that all pending bills would be cleared within eight days.
“Clubbing of bills together for three months results in procedural delay for payment. Now, pending bills will be cleared in eight days,” CM said.
Pointing out that payment of bills of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) supplying Mid-day meals to the schools are being kept pending for more than 3 months by the education department, Opposition leader Digambar Kamat demanded that SHGs be paid immediately.
“As per reply given to the question until September 2019, pending payment to SHGs is Rs3.26 crore. This amount will cross over Rs4 crore till January 2020. It will be difficult for small SHGs working on small margin to sustain if lakhs of rupees are pending for payment. Will the government release these bills?”, asked Kamat.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that due to internal disputes the payment could not be released and said that unless the members of SHGs do not resolve internal disputes the amount cannot be released. He refuted Digambar’s demand for Government intervention in resolving the internal dispute of the SHG’s.
Sudin Dhavlikar pointed out that as per rule bills should be paid within 20 days and raised a question whether Central Vigilance Committee guidelines and financial rules are followed while doing for payment to the Self Help Groups.
While replying to the question of MLA Rohan Khaunte CM Sawant informed the house that around 95,330 primary students and 66,363 schools students in the state are availing benefits of the Mid-day meal scheme.
