In a shocking revelation, piles of schoolbooks meant for free distribution in Chhattisgarh government schools were found being sold as scrap at a recycling centre. This discovery led to the immediate suspension of the General Manager (GM) of the state’s Textbook Corporation, Prem Prakash Sharma.
A preliminary investigation headed by Additional Chief Secretary Renu Pillai uncovered that the textbooks were sold to a scrap dealer at a paper mill, indicating serious negligence on the part of the corporation. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, upon learning about the incident, ordered Sharma’s suspension. Notably, Sharma, a State Administrative Service officer, was also part of the panel set up by the government to investigate allegations of corruption.
The suspension order, as accessed by The Indian Express, stated, “The fact has come to light that the books printed by Chhattisgarh Text Book Corporation, Raipur in the year 2024-25 are being sold as junk. The State Government has taken this incident seriously, prima facie negligence is reflected, the State Government hereby suspends Shri Prem Prakash Sharma, (RPSC RR-2013), General Manager, Chhattisgarh Text Book Corporation, Raipur with immediate effect under Rule 9 of Chhattisgarh Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1966.”
Chief Minister Sai has emphasized his government’s commitment to good governance and a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. In recent meetings with collectors and police superintendents, he stressed that negligence in duty would not be tolerated and swift, strict action would be taken against such instances.
The allegations of textbook corruption were first brought to light by former Congress MLA Vikas Upadhyay. He alleged that the books printed through the ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ and Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation for the 2024-25 academic year were sold as scrap at throwaway prices. The Congress party accused the government of corruption and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a retired judge. This incident has raised serious concerns about the state of education and transparency in Chhattisgarh.
