School Headmaster Suspended For Ebezzlement Of Mid-Day Meal Funds In Odisha

Jagatsinghpur: The headmaster of an upper primary school in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district was suspended for allegedly pilfering rice meant for the mid-day meal by manipulating the attendance registers.

The headmaster of the UP school at Matagajapur under Tirtol block, identified as Suratha Malla, was also accused of taking commission from the vendor supplying school uniforms for the students, sources said.

Members of the School Management Committee (SMC) and some students had complained to the administration against the headmaster accusing him of increasing the number of meals falsely and supplying low quality food. In the process, he has been misappropriating huge money, it was alleged.

Malla was also accused of siphoning huge amounts by providing low-quality dress materials for school uniform to the students in collusion with the suppliers.

Following the complaint, district education officer Niranjan Behera conducted an inquiry. The headmaster was placed under suspension after it was found that he was involved in misappropriation of money from MDM by illegally enhancing the student strength.