Odisha: Man ‘Steals’ Daughter’s MDM Money & Rice; Girl Complains To Collector

Kendrapada: A Class VI student in Kendrapada district has walked 10 km to lodge a complaint with the Collector against her father for allegedly taking away the mid-day meal (MDM) money and rice sanctioned to her.

The complainant, Sushree Sangita Sethi (11), is a student of Dukuka Vidyapitha.

In her written complaint, Sushree informed Collector Samarth Verma that her father, Ramesh Chandra Sethi, forcibly took the MDM money and rice in her name, The New Indian Express reported.

She stated that father had remarried last year after the demise of her mother two years ago. Since then, Sushree has been staying in her uncle’s house as her father and stepmother refused to take care of her.

Notably, in the wake of the pandemic, the state government has been depositing money meant for MDM in the bank accounts of students and their guardians besides providing rice to them.

Sushree, however, was deprived of the same. She stated that she has a bank account but the school authorities are depositing the money in her father’s account.

She alleged that when she asks for the money, Ramesh refuses and also takes her quota of rice from the school.

The Collector said, “On hearing the plight of the student, I have directed the district education officer (DEO) to deposit the money in her account from now on. Besides, the DEO will take necessary steps to recover the money and rice from the student’s father.”

DEO Sanjb Singh said, “Steps will be taken to refund the money taken by her father to the girl. The school headmaster has been directed to provide rice only to the student.”

He informed that as schools are closed due to the pandemic, authorities are providing 150 gram of rice to each student and depositing Rs 8.10 per day in their accounts. The money is being deposited in the account of students once a month.