BENGALURU: In a scathing report on the ongoing egg distribution program, the Azim Premjee Foundation has raised serious concerns over the mismanagement and neglect by the Congress government in implementing a vital scheme aimed at providing nutrition to schoolchildren. Despite months passing since the scheme’s initiation, the program, which is backed by a generous Rs. 1500 crore financial aid, has not been adequately executed in many schools across the state. The shocking findings were revealed in the evaluation study conducted by the Foundation across 357 schools in Karnataka.
The scheme, introduced to provide eggs to all government and aided school students, was expected to be a groundbreaking initiative in addressing nutritional gaps in children. However, the foundation’s review of the implementation process paints a grim picture. According to the evaluation, a significant 66 schools out of the 357 surveyed have failed to distribute eggs to their students altogether. In these schools, though 30% of the students had expressed willingness to consume eggs, they were instead provided with peanuts or bananas — a clear deviation from the original plan.
The study further highlights that in many other schools where eggs were distributed, they were frequently substituted with peanuts or bananas, a practice which defies the stipulated guidelines. The report revealed that when bananas were meant to be given to students who had opted out of eggs, peanut chickpeas were provided instead, and even these were often distributed in insufficient quantities. The prescribed weight of groundnuts, which should range between 35-40 grams per student, was found to be much lower than the specified amount, with some receiving less than 30 grams.
The findings have sparked a furious response from the School Education Commissioner, Trilok Chandra, who has issued a show-cause notice to 50 taluk block education officers and 48 assistant directors of the PM Poshan scheme across 26 districts. The notice, which serves as a reprimand for negligence and failure to implement the scheme properly, demands that the officials provide a satisfactory reply within seven days. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action, making them directly responsible for the project’s failure.
The government had hoped that the Rs. 1500 crore aid provided by the Azim Premjee Foundation would help improve the nutrition of students by expanding the previous egg distribution program, which was limited to only two days a week. Under the new scheme, launched on September 25, the government aimed to distribute eggs six days a week to children across more than 48,000 schools. However, the reality of its implementation has fallen far short, with the program mired in bureaucracy and official apathy.
The Commissioner expressed regret over the situation, emphasizing that despite clear instructions and circulars issued to district and taluk officials, the program has failed to meet expectations. “It is deeply disappointing that children are being deprived of the benefits of this program due to the indifference and negligence of officials, despite clear guidelines being issued for its proper implementation,” the Commissioner remarked. He further lamented that such mismanagement could result in the failure of this ambitious nutritional initiative.
The show-cause notices have been issued to a wide range of authorities, including officials from various taluks such as Balki, Alanda, Chittapur, Yadgiri, Humnabad, Surpur, Kalaburagi, Bellary West, Dharwad, Vijayapur Rural, Bagalkote, Mangalore North, Tumkur, and many others across the state. The notices highlight the immense lapses in the execution of the plan, which has now come under scrutiny for its misapplication and failure to provide children with the essential nutrients promised by the government.
This debacle has raised serious questions about the Congress government’s ability to manage welfare programs effectively. The lack of proper implementation of such a crucial initiative points to systemic flaws in governance and a clear lack of accountability within the education department. In light of these findings, it is now imperative for the government to take immediate corrective measures, ensuring that officials are held accountable and that the benefits of this significant nutritional program reach the children who need it the most.
The notice served to officials accused that Widespread failure in implementing the egg distribution scheme six days a week,- Substitution of eggs with bananas and chickpeas, against the program’s guidelines,- Eggs were often replaced by peanut chicks or bananas, with a lack of appropriate nutrition, Irregularities in the weight of peanuts distributed, falling below the prescribed 35-40 grams,- Disciplinary notices issued to 50 taluk education officers and 48 PM Poshan assistant directors,- Government’s failure to implement this vital scheme calls for urgent reforms in the management of welfare programs.
This situation once again highlights the stark contrast between the Congress government’s promises and its inability to deliver on critical welfare initiatives, leaving many students deprived of basic nutritional support.
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