MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI M.M. PALLAM RAJU)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the Lok Sabha.
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 for 05.02.2014
raised by SHRI A.T.NANA PATIL regarding Mid Day Meal Scheme.
(a): Yes Madam, the Joint Review Missions (JRMs), constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD), and consisting of experts from the Departments of Home Science, Office of
Supreme Court Commissioner for Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS), Central and State Governments
and UNICEF have reviewed the implementation of MDMS, in the current financial year, in 19 States
of the country. Their main recommendations cover the following:
Clear roles and responsibilities at the district and block levels; smooth flow of funds from the State to the
school level; identification of children with severe malnutrition for focused attention; better convergence with
the school health Programme under the NRHM; appointment of cook-cum-helpers as per norms and building
their capacity on food safety, security, nutrition and preparation of food as per locally available ingredients
and in accordance with the local tastes; safe storage of foodgrains and the need to follow “First in First outâ€
(FIFO) system to ensure use of foodgrains and oils within their shelf life; ensuring availability of well designed
kitchen-cum- stores and functional toilets for girls; availability of potable drinking water and multiple hand
washing facilities; introduction of eco-friendly smokeless chulas; capacity building of Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRIs) and members of the School Management Committees (SMCs) for community audit
of MDMS as well as regular inspection by the field staff; the need for creating greater awareness about
the MDMS at all levels and display of rights and entitlement of children, weekly menu, MDM logo and
emergency contact numbers prominently on the school walls.
In addition, Independent Monitoring Institutes engaged by the Ministry of HRD have carried out field visits in
the districts and submitted the report to States / UTs. During 2013, Naba Krushna Choudhury Centre for
Development Studies, Bhubaneswar and Dr. P.M. Institute of Advanced Study in Education have carried out
a detailed study in coastal districts of Odisha and the Central teams were also deputed to Odisha to review
the implementation of the Scheme.
The findings of the JRMs were presented to the State Governments.
(b): The State-wise number of schools and children benefitted by the MDMS during the last three
years and current year is given at Annexure-I.
(c): The State-wise details of funds released and utilized under the Mid Day Meal Scheme during
the last three years and the current year is at Annexure-II.
(d) & (e): A total of 58 complaints have been received in this Ministry during 2010-13 and the current financial
year from the various States/UTs. Amongst these 6 pertain to the misuse of food grains and 52 relate to
irregularities under Mid Day Meal Scheme These complaints were referred to the concerned State
Governments/UTs, which have taken necessary action in 41 out of the 58 cases. The allegations were
found to be baseless in 15 cases, while action has been taken by the State Governments in the
remaining 26 cases.
The action taken included the suspension of erring officials, warning to the responsible officers, the initiation
of departmental proceedings against erring officials, recovery from the guilty persons and launch of criminal
proceedings against the guilty. The State-wise number of cases of misuse of food grains and irregularities
under the scheme during last three years, are given at Annexure-III.
