Kendrapara: A photographic drive
in the government-run primary schools in Orissa`s Kendrapara district had revealed the presence of more than 11,000 fake
students in the school registers.
Though names of 11,266 students were in the enrolment
register, but the children could not be traced in reality.
However, MDM (midday meal) ration against these fake
students were being sanctioned, officials said.
"As many as 11, 266 students were not traceable and
could not be covered under the photographic exercise. It should be construed that the enrolment of these `missing` students were on pen and paper only," Kendrapara Collector
Dhananjaya Das told reporters.
"A drive was launched and all school children were
photographed. Their snapshots were affixed in the school
attendance register. It has been found that around 12,000 fake
students were enrolled in attendance registers," he said.
Every year the government exchequer in Kendrapara was
coughing up Rs 78,07,338 towards the cost of ration earmarked
for such fake students. The beneficiaries of enrolment scam
were mostly from district social welfare department and schools and mass education department officials, sources said.
MDM suppliers too had a share in the spoils,
officials.
The ration cost specified against each of the enrolled
student stood annually at Rs 693, according to official
sources.
PTI
