₹2K crore midday meal scam in Raj

State anti-graft body says fake demand was created for food kits for students during Covid

- RAJESH ASNANI @ Jaipur

A massive scam of over ₹2,000 crore has been unearthed in Rajasthan's state-run Mid-Day Meal Scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against 21 accused, including officials of CONFED and Kendriya Bhandar, owners of private firms, and other associated individuals.

According to the ACB, during the pandemic, when schools across Rajasthan were closed, the state government decided to distribute combo food kits to students under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. These kits were to contain pulses, edible oil, spices, and other essential items. Procurement and supply were routed through CONFED, which claimed the material met FSSAI and Agmark standards, and it was delivered to schools through door-to-door distribution.