Kendrapara: In a shocking incident, a minor school student walked around 10 km and met the district collector following a fight with her father over mid-day meal (MDM) benefits on Monday.
Sushree Sangita Sethi (11), a native of Dukuka village in Kendrapara district, met Collector Samarth Verma alleging that her father Ramesh Chandra Sethi forcibly taking the money and rice sanctioned to her under MDM scheme.
According to reports, mother of Sushree, who is a student of Dukuka Vidyapitha, passed away two years back following which her father married another woman last year. However, she was staying in her uncle’s house after her father and stepmother did not look after her.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the State government is depositing money meant for MDM either in the bank accounts of the students or their guardians after COVID-19 outbreak. This apart, rice is also being provided to them. But, unfortunately, the school authorities used to deposit the money in the bank account of Sushree’s father and also giving the rice to him despite her repeated requests to provide the benefits to her.
“I have directed the district education officer (DEO) to sort out the problem and deposit the money in the student’s account from now on,” said the district Collector when asked about the matter.
Ms Kalinga