Nagpur: The state govt set a 90-day deadline for a third-party audit of Maharashtra’s 553 aided ashramshalas after which schools found lacking in basic facilities will be shut down, tribal development minister Ashok Uike said here on Wednesday. Uike also added that the department was considering a policy change under which FIRs would also be registered against an ashramshala’s director by default, not just its principal.Uike said the new audit would be compared with the 2017 survey done by a third-party institution. “The scrutiny will be over in three months, and the aided ashramshalas that lack facilities will be completely shut down. This is our resolve,” said the minister.Regarding a policy change to bring the trustees under the radar by default, rather than just the principal, Uike said “In future, we will consider this, after discussing all options, and cases will be filed against the guilty.”Before the audit kicks off, Uike offered a chance to all ashramshalas to fix up their deficiencies and comply with guidelines. Uike said, “You are running aided ashramshalas, we give grants to students. Provide all facilities so that students receive quality education. All institution directors should pay attention to this.”The audit and policy review follow the deaths of three tribal girls from snakebite this week at an aided ashramshala in Gadchiroli, where the govt has separately begun the process to cancel the school’s permission.
