Maharashtra Tribal Development Minister Ashok Wooike has ordered a third-party audit of all 588 aided ashram schools across the state amid recurring complaints about accommodation, food, healthcare, student safety and the use of government grants.
Wooike announced the decision while speaking to journalists during a visit to Nashik on Saturday. He said the audit would assess the facilities available at the residential schools and examine whether government funding was being used properly. The report will be submitted to the state government before any action is taken against the institutions, he said.
“Complaints about inadequate facilities, residential arrangements, food, health services and grant utilisation frequently come to light. A comprehensive third-party audit of all aided ashram schools has been ordered. The report will be submitted to the government before action is taken against the institutions,” Wooike said.
The minister said the government had taken steps to improve the quality of education for tribal students, but indicated that the audit would determine whether institutions had complied with expected standards. If shortcomings are identified, the findings could lead to legal action against those responsible and help establish accountability, he said.
The audit comes as the state is also examining allegations related to central kitchens serving ashram schools. Two committees have been appointed to investigate those concerns. Wooike said one committee had submitted its report while the second report was still pending. He said an immediate shutdown of the central kitchens would therefore not be appropriate at this stage.
The government is working to reduce the distance between ashram schools and central kitchens so that students receive food within 10 to 25 minutes of cooking, according to the minister. The arrangement places the distance and delivery time between kitchens and residential schools among the operational issues being examined by the authorities.
The announcement follows agitations by tribal students in Nashik, Pune and Nagpur in August. After discussions with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, several demands were accepted, Wooike said. These included abolishing the hostel age limit, filling supernumerary posts, beginning recruitment for categories covered under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, forming a committee on rosters and issuing a new ordinance concerning direct benefit transfers.
The audit will now provide the state government with a consolidated assessment of facilities and grant utilisation across the aided ashram-school network. The minister said the report would precede any decision on legal action or accountability measures against the institutions concerned.
