Man held for selling SSA books as scrap

The Meghalaya Police has arrested a driver working in the District Inspector of Schools office in Nongpoh in Ri-Bhoi district for selling exercise books...

The Meghalaya Police has arrested a driver working in the District Inspector of Schools (DIS) office in Nongpoh in Ri-Bhoi district for selling exercise books—provided under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for poor schoolchildren— as scrap for Rs 6 per kg. The market price of each book is Rs 13.

It was discovered that J Khymdeit sold 14 52-kg gunny sacks containing the books, which were meant to be distributed free of cost to children from the office of the Block Mission Coordinator in Umling, via clusters’ coordinators in the whole district.

Khymdeit’s arrest could lead to to others who are involved in the crime . DIS Deputy Inspector of Schools G Diengdoh said, “A departmental inquiry has been initiated and action would be taken against all those who were involved in the crime.”

The corrupt practice was unearthed by the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), a social organisation, from the district on Monday.

HNYF president G H Kharshanlor said that volunteers managed to nab the culprit after being tipped by a local.

The SSA programme aims to provide free elementary education and bridge social, regional and gender gaps through community ownership of schools. The Centre provides 75 per cent of the funds, while state governments give the rest. In 2007-08 Meghalaya received Rs 2359.63 lakh for the programme from the Centre.