Former Union minister Kapil Sibal had put pressure on officials to sanction funds for supplementary readers in Mumbai schools to Teesta Setalvad's Sabrang Trust despite objections by the Maharashtra government and the National Council for Educational Research & Training (NCERT), a three-member committee investigating the HRD ministry's funding of the activist's NGO has found.
According to a report in Times of India, the committee constituted by former HRD Smriti Irani in 2015 to probe the purpose behind the sanction of Rs 3 crore and whether the funds were used properly, found in its 500-page report that funds were sanctioned under 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' to prepare supplementary readers for teachers and students in Mumbai schools.
The proposal for supplementary reader was sent to NCERT for evaluation. But as technical appraiser, NCERT did not approve of it, reported TOI citing the committee report.
Similarly, the then Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra also had reservations about the project. However, the committee in the HRD ministry gave a go-ahead to the funds for the project.
However, the committee could not find any financial misappropriation after the funds were sanctioned.
The committee, has annexed 10 supplementary readers in its report. It said that they do not serve their purpose.
Sibal, however, has denied any wrongdoing or putting pressure on officials. “A proposal was received and sanction was as per rules,” he was quoted as saying.
