New Delhi, July 4
The Central team that probed complaints of alleged misuse of funds for the purchase of textbooks for schoolchildren in Punjab has concluded that the guidelines applicable for such procurements were not adhered to. The panel has now decided to seek comments from the state government on the issue.

The controversial books

While the report prepared by the Central team remains under wraps, sources in the ministry aware of its contents told The Tribune that the financial outgo in the issue was limited since the payments were stopped after the allegations surfaced.

Though the team found that the guidelines were not followed, the government could feel relieved that the science kits supplied to the primary schools were in order, sources said.

The team report was reportedly discussed at the highest level in the ministry after which it was decided that comments of the state government should also be sought on it.

The Central team, comprising Under Secretary (Finance) Arun Kumar, Chief Consultant (Procurement) K Gopalan, Assistant Professor with the National Council of Education Research and Training Ranjana Arora and a subject expert in literature for children Subir Shukla, was in the state last month after the state Congress brought on pressure to have the matter examined.

The Punjab State Congress submitted a memorandum to Union Human Resource Development Minister MM Pallam Raju alleging the involvement of state Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka and others in the misappropriation of funds and irregularities in the purchase of library books and science kits for government schools under centrally sponsored schemes, including the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan and the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan.

The memorandum said shortcomings were found in the purchase of practical notebooks and that certain books purchased for government school libraries contained vulgar songs and literature.