Fiscal indiscipline implementing midday meal scheme: PAC

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Pointing to the "widespreadfiscal indiscipline" in implementing the mid-day meal scheme,the Public Accounts Committee has asked the HRD Ministry tofix responsibility and take measures to "obviate" suchinstances.

Diversion of funds and foodgains have been confirmedin Kerala, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Nagalandand Bihar, the Committee said adding "lapses noticed isindicative of the widespread fiscal indiscipline inimplementing the scheme".

The committee feels that institutional apathy and lackof concerted efforts should not be allowed to creep in inimplementing such an important social welfare scheme ofnational coverage, it said in its report presented in the LokSabha today.

Deploring the failure of the above states, theCommittee, with Murli Manohar Joshi as its chairman, saidthough the HRD Ministry has asked these states to takeaction to recoup the cost of diverted funds, "no concreteaction has been taken as yet".

It said though the HRD Ministry has taken certain basicmeasures to remove huge pendency in construction of kitchenshed and stores under the scheme, "providing hygenic mid-daymeals still remains an unsurpassed challenge".