news details |
|
|
| Implementation of Mid-day meal scheme in J&K flawed: Supreme Court | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 13: Supreme Court has pointed out serious flaws in the implementation of Mid-day meal scheme in schools across Jammu and Kashmir while holding the view that the scheme is one of the best implemented ones among all food related schemes of government of India elsewhere in the country.
In its report "Hunger in the Valley" based on the implementation of food and livelihood schemes of government of India in Jammu and Kashmir, it has criticized the implementing agencies in Jammu and Kashmir for being unable to provide maximized benefits to the students of this scheme. Commissioners of Supreme Court (SC) have strongly rebutted claims of the state education department.
The report has stated that quality of the meal is greatly compromised since most of the children did not like the meal being served in the schools. It has added that in some villages, people alleged that ration being supplied by Food Corporation of India (FCI) was not of fair quality. Besides, meal being provided to the children was not adequate and sufficient.
The report has further said that numerous complaints of students not being provided sufficient meals and school not being provided second helping hand were received by the team wherever it went for survey. It has also pointed out irregularities in the mid-day meal along with shortages in supply of food grains.
The other main concern which the report has brought forth was long delays up to six months in the allocation of funds to the schools for procuring the food items locally, which, according to report has large affect on the quality of the meal. Further, the procurement of the kitchen devices including the cooking gas and containers is being done at zone level and not at the school level which involves corruption, report has said.
In few schools, commissioners have affirmed that children were happy for being provided cheese, eggs and meat occasionally in the mid day meal but were disappointed that these things were discontinued immediately after being introduced into the menu.
After pointing out lacunas, report has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to concentrate on trying to improve the quality of the meal to meet the objectives of addressing classroom hunger, malnutrition among children and fostering social equity more effectively. Report has called for increasing the cooking costs from Rs. 3 per child per day (not including food grains costs) from the current Rs. 2 per child per day in order to be able to provide a nutritious and filling meal to the child.
It has also said that quality of meal should be increased and the menu should be fixed for each day and the students should know which recipe would be served on each day in advance and not on the decision of teachers. It implored upon the state government to consider including eggs or cheese or meat in the menu, stating that almost 29 percent children in state are underweight and 20 percent have BMR less than normal.
It has also asked the government to allocate money to the schools in advance in a way that at any given point, advance should be available with school for three months. Opening of bank accounts on the name of Village education committee could be one alternative and money can be deposited in the accounts in advance, which will also lessen the chances of siphoning of money away from mid day meal, report has advised.
It has recommended that Mid-day meal should be given regularly including on Fridays, days of less attendance of students and examination days besides it should be provided in all the government and government aided schools including the EGS schools. Further, it has said that proper infrastructure for mid-day meals should be mandatory, including cooking sheds, storage space, drinking water, ventilation and utensils.
It has also recommended that procurement of the kitchen devices should happen at the school level under the supervision of village education committees (VEC) and provisions of safe and hygienic drinking water should be ensured in each school since most of the schools surveyed don't have facilities of hygienic drinking water.
Reacting to demands of teaching community, report has sought appointment of one additional staff for the mid day meal in the schools. It has said that this should be done immediately, since almost one teacher in each school is highly engaged in the preparation of the meal in the schools and has to compromise with the classes of students. Report has recommended for prioritizing the scheme by giving benefits at the first place to disadvantaged communities in the appointment of cooks and helpers.
All cooks and helpers should be paid no less than the statutory minimum wage. Community participation in the monitoring of mid-day meals should be strengthened, particularly to prevent corruption and ensure quality. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
