Imphal, December 23: Retracting from his earlier statement purportedly given to ONK, AI Oinam Ibopishak of Zone-VI Education (S) has clarified that no amount of fund deducted from the Mid Day Meal Scheme under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan project of Zone-IV Bishnupur district had been ever diverted to United People�s Front (UPF).

Addressing a press conference at the Keishampat office of UPF today afternoon, AI Oinam Ibopishak said that the amount of the fund which UPF had allegedly levied from each school had infact been arranged by the headmasters concerned of the schools for subscribing the journal �Eikhoigee Panthung� published by UPF in accordance to a decision of the All Manipur Elementary School Teachers� Association (AMESTA).

Ibopishak had been earlier pulled up by the investigating team of ONK of the proscribed outfit KYKL for interrogation in connection with the alleged diversion of the fund released for implementation of Mid Day Meal scheme in the State.

He informed that acting on the instruction for subscribing the monthly journal published by UPF to 133 schools under the Zone-IV, a meeting of the AMESTA with its chairman W Ibohal in the chair was convened at Oinam High School on November 24.The meeting resolved that all the headmasters concerned should arrange the money at the rate of Rs 10 per journal and Rs 100 as the total amount for annual subscription.

Consequent to the decision of AMESTA, another meeting of all the headmasters with ZEO Bishnupur Bungshing in the chair was held on November 27 and resolved that the amount should be arranged from the development fund of the schools/teachers under ZEO Zone-VI and submitted the same through the respective AIs.

Subsequently, all the headmasters of the schools submitted their annual subscription amount.

However, the said amount has not yet been handed over to UPF, AI Ibopishak clarified.

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