A meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was held here today under the Chairmanship of MLA, Mohammad Akbar Lone.The Committee examined the CAG’s audit paras pertaining to Education Department regarding performance of audit of Mid Day Meal Scheme, status of funds, inadmissible payment of pay and allowances, short remittance of games fee and undue benefit to private institutions.Legislators, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Pawan Kumar Gupta and Mohammad Yousuf Bhat attended the meeting and gave their valuable suggestions to further improve functioning of the department.The Committee directed the concerned authorities to ensure that children get hygienic food under Mid May Meal Scheme so that the main goal of introducing the schemes could be achieved. Secretary, Education Department, Farooq Ahmed Shah briefed about the action taken on CAGs report besides present status of different state and centrally sponsored schemes being executed by the department.The Committee informed that the department has started procedure on the pattern of Akshatra NGO of Karnataka to streamline the Mid Day Meal scheme of Jammu and Samba district in first instance. The Committee asked the concerned authorities to involve village level committees in the streamline process of the scheme.
It was also informed that the department has started day to day SMS service to monitor the status of mid day meal.The Committee asked the department that the main focus should be given on its management so that hassle free services would be provided to the needy.Regarding strengthening of Sports Council, it was informed that the department is taking up several steps for promoting the activitie of the Council.The Committee asked the concerned authorities to make sure that the funds allocated for development of the Sports Council are not diverted and utilized judiciously for larger interest of the sportsperson.Deputy Accountant General, Audit, V K Bakshi also pointed out the observations made by the CAGs in its audit report pertaining to the Education department.Secretary, JKBOSE Veena Pandita, Director Education, Kashmir G N Itoo, Director Education, Jammu Ravinder Singh, Director JKBOSE Dr Farooq Peer, besides Special Secretary Legislative Assembly, R L Sharma, Additional Secretary, LA, Manzoor Ahmed Baba, Deputy Secretary, LA Farooq Ahmed Khan and senior officers of Education Department and Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.