By- Khumanthem Dhanachandra
Imphal, Nov 30:
A significant breach of the CM Lairik Yengminnasi Programme guidelines has been uncovered, wherein Rs 3 lakhs of the allocated Rs 74 lakhs were improperly utilized for the acquisition of 120 pairs of benches and desks, each costing Rs 2500. According to the program guidelines, the selection of a coaching center is expected to be contingent on the presence of suitable infrastructure. The rationale behind deviating from the scheme guidelines to procure furniture remains unknown.
On March 19, 2018, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh inaugurated a six-month free remedial coaching program. The program is executed by the Manipur Minorities and OBC Economic Development Society (MOBEDS), operating under the aegis of the Department for Welfare of Minorities, OBCs, and Scheduled Castes (MOBC & SC).
The program is designed with the overarching goal of ensuring access to quality education for every student, irrespective of their economic background. Government school infrastructure will be leveraged to facilitate the coaching program, which is scheduled to run from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The coaching sessions will focus on three key subjects: Science, Mathematics, and English. This initiative targets two distinct categories of students: Category A encompasses students from Class VI to X, while Category B is tailored for students in Class XI and XII pursuing the Science stream.
Besides, a cash book entry of expenditure dated May 29, 2018, revealed that a sum of Rs 4.30 lakhs from funds other than the coaching funds had also been paid to one firm, namely KM Allaudin, for the supply of chairs and desks for the coaching. However, vouchers from the supplier, delivery slips, entries in stock, and issue records were not available. Thus, the procurement and issuing of furniture amounting to Rs 4.30 lakhs was doubtful.
83 government teachers and 71 private sector teachers had been engaged in the said coaching program. A total of Rs. 1,480,00,000 has been sanctioned during the years 2017–18 and 2018–19 for the implementation of the said program.
As per the scheme guidelines, a center coordinator is to conduct examinations and also obtain and submit the performance records of students in their respective school and board examinations. However, there were no records of the submission of such performance records by the center coordinator.
The government notification mentions that coaching for Category A will be conducted at Srivan High School, Luwangshangbam; Lilong Higher Secondary Madrassa, Lilong; Irong High Madrassa, Irong Chesaba; Kwakta High School, Kwakta Lamkhai Bengoon Higher Secondary School, Mayang Imphal; Heingang High School, Heingang; Sangaiyumpham High School, Sangaiyumpham Lalpani; Government High School, Lalpani, Jiribam; Ahmedabad High School, Jiribam; Minuthong Faiza High School, Hafiz Hatta, Poiroukhongjin High School, Yairipok, Haoreibi Makha Leikai, Lilong, Kiyamgei High Madrassa, Kiyamgei, Phubala High School, Phubala, Andro High School, Andro and Azad Higher Secondary School, Yairipok.
And coaching for Category B will be conducted at Bengoon Higher Secondary School, Mayang Imphal; Lilong Higher Secondary School, Lilong; Sangaiyumpham High School, Sangaiyumpham; Kiyamgei High Madrassa, Kyamgei; Moirang Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, Moirang; N. Tomchou Higher Secondary School, Mayang Imphal; and Pravabati College (Secondary Section), Mayang Imphal.
Further, it was also noticed that there was no mechanism in place to monitor the progress of the coaching, and no specific syllabus or area in the subject selected for the coaching was prescribed in the scheme guidelines.
