SHILLONG, JUNE 21: West Khasi Hill District Deputy Commissioner F Kharlyngdoh has ordered an inquiry into financial irregularities under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme in the District Mission Coordinator (DMC) office in Nongstoin. The deputy commissioner is also the chairman of the SSA in the respective districts and coordinates the implementation of the central government scheme.

Kharlyngdoh told The Indian Express on Thursday that Deputy Inspector of School D Lyngdoh had complained on Wednesday that there was misuse of SSA fund in the DMC office. He said, “I have directed a magistrate to investigate into the allegation of financial irregularities and report back within 15 days.” He said stringent action would be taken against those responsible if the allegation is true.

Allegations of misuse of fund have been coming from East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi. Accusation of misuse of teachers’ salaries of primary and upper primary schools have also been made.

Apparently, the salary of the teachers of lower and upper primary school are being pooled and split between two teachers. The monthly salary of a lower primary teacher is Rs 3,000 and that of the upper primary teacher is Rs 6,000. The two take home Rs 4,500 each.

Teachers appointed under the SSA are paid from the fund provided by the union government that is rotated through the state education department. Even the yearly grant of Rs 500 given to each teacher under the SSA is siphoned as complaints suggest that none of them have been getting the amount.

The 2006 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has indicted the state education department for irregularity in releasing Rs 27. 35 lakhs in Shillong and Rs 90.36 lakhs in Nongpoh to teachers of unauthorised schools under the SSA. The CAG report says that during November 2003 to March 2004, the Joint District Mission Coordinator based in Shillong paid Rs 20.18 lakhs from the SSA fund for salary of 104 lower primary school teachers and Rs 7.17 lakhs to 25 unapproved lower primary schools.

In November 2005, the state Government admitted of the illegality in releasing Rs 27.35 lakhs and assured that efforts were on to recover the money. According to the Special Officer of the department, Rs 10.97 lakhs had been recovered till August 2006.

Between 2004-2006, CAG revealed that the State Project Director had released Rs 90.36 lakhs to the Nongpoh District Mission Coordinator (DMC) for payment of salaries to teachers in 132 unapproved schools (60 primary and 72 upper primary schools). Similarly, during 2003-2005 the State Mission Authority sanctioned Rs 52.26 lakhs to the DMC in Shillong for payment of salaries to teachers engaged in 88 unapproved new schools.

The CAG said that non-approval of the schools was indicative of the fact that these were not under the SSA.