AnantnagA fund scam has surfaced in the Education Department in Bidder zone of Kokernag area of South Kashmirs Anantnag district.
Sources said that the officials from the department as well as the contractor may be involved in swindling of the funds meant for the construction of a middle school in Khatnardi village in Kokernag.
Government Middle School in Kathnardi village in zone Bidder of Kokernag was established under centrally sponsored Sarwa Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Scheme in 2015. An amount of Rs 18 lakh was allotted for the construction and infrastructure of this school. However what all has been constructed is three-room building. Moreover, the material used in the building is substandard as walls and slab of this school have already started to develop cracks and during rainfall, most of the students are compelled to stay home as water seeps inside the rooms from the ceiling. Gunny sacks from four sides with a single tin sheet over it as the roof has been kept as the toilet facility in the school. Besides the school lacks other basic facilities.
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According to locals Rs 18 lakh were provided for the construction of this school which include kitchen shed and washroom, but neither of them has been constructed. Substandard material has been used in the building as its walls and slab of have already started to develop cracks, said locals adding that according to their estimates only Rs 4-5 lakhs have been spent on the building. They alleged that the Headmaster, ZEO and the contractor have divided rest of the money among themselves.
The school is about 30 km’s away from main town in Anantnag District and comes in the jurisdiction of Kokernag constituency with a total roll of 100 students. Six Teachers include headmaster have been posted in the school.
An amount of 4 lakh rupees for the construction of this school building was initially directly transferred to the concerned headmaster and ZEO’s account. Later, they got 14 lakh more rupees diverted from the other education zone for construction of other infrastructure. However, on ground there is neither any roofing over the building nor any kitchen shed and toilet visible in this school. Despite no such infrastructure built till date, the full amount for this has already been withdrawn, said a source.
It is pertinent to mention here that last year Anantnag district achieved the unique distinction of winning the Prime Ministers Excellence Award for programme implementation in the category of SwachhVidyalaya programme. The award was received on behalf of District Anantnag by the then Deputy Commissioner Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah.
When contacted Chief Education Officer (CEO) Anantnag Ghulam Rasool Shah told Kashmir Observer that he was unaware about the scam.
No school record is present in my office, he said adding that he will first investigate the matter then only he will comment on the issue.
Despite repeated attempts, Director Education Kashmir could not be contacted as his phone was repeatedly switched off.
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