Pachpute came in for some intense grilling by members in the House over issues concerning the ashram shalas (tribal schools) and hostels. This included sub-standard quality of food served to students and corruption by those managing such institutions.
The issue was raised by MLAs Madhuri Misal, Girish Bapat, Prashant Thakur and others during the question-answer session in the wake of recent protests by students against sub-standard food quality, unhygienic conditions and other irregularities.
Students at a government hostel at Manjri Farm near Pune had locked the hostel building on October 2, complaining that they were being served sub-standard food for the past several months.
Similar protests were reported from tribal students' hostel at Panvel on September 8, Nagpur on October 4 and Kalmanuri in Hingoli district on August 3.
"Does the government have any concrete programme to monitor tribal schools and hostels," asked one of the members. Misal, who initiated the debate, sought to know what action the government was taking to ensure that the catering contractors, who provide food to these institutions, meet the terms and conditions of the contract.
Another member pointed out that the government had long back discontinued the practice of getting tribal schools and hostels inspected by specially set up squads. Students also have to suffer due to corrupt practices of those who run these schools and hostels, said a member. "So much so that the girl students don't even get basic facilities like hair oil," he said.
Replying to the query, Pachpute maintained that the department has taken a corrective action wherever it received complaints, including the incidents at Pune, Nagpur and Kalmanuri.
"The institutions were served notices for changing catering contractors and they have adhered to the notice by engaging new contractors. The project officer ( Integrated Tribal Development Project) at Ghodegaon has informed that there are no fresh complaints from the hostel at Manjri Farm," said Pachpute.
The minister said, "The students from the hostel at Panvel had lodged a complaint with the tehsildar of Panvel following which the hostel in-charge concerned has been transferred to other location."
Pachpute insisted that the government was responsive to complaints of irregularity and corruption and has, so far, suspended licences of at least 9 tribal schools and hostels. The minister said that steps will be taken to revive inspection squads to ensure that no fresh complaints are reported from students.
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